Hep c exposure/transmission

[Michael4112]

Good evening,
My name is Michael and I'm a carpenter. At work we're re quired to move  at a fast pace which causes minor scratches,nicks, and splinters. We give each other a hand and lock arms from time to time to pick up heavy wood work. The scratches I get are superficial,not deep,they some times bleed and some times don't. Since we get scratches on our forearms and hands, can there be any possible transmission if we were to get scratched the same day and bump forearms or hands while working?

[Michael4112]

Thanks for the answer flynn, I'm not familiar with the whole hep c subject and the things you can find online can throw anyone off.

[flyinlynn]

Not much point in worrying about highly unlikely scenarios. Waste of energy

[Michael4112]

Where's your information based from if you don't mind me asking flynn??

[flyinlynn]

CDC FAQ hepatitis C for the general public and FAQ for  Health Professionals.

"Who is at risk for HCV infection?
The following persons are at known to be at increased risk for HCV infection:
Current or former injection drug users, including those who injected only once many years ago
Recipients of clotting factor concentrates made before 1987, when more advanced methods for manufacturing those products were developed
Recipients of blood transfusions or solid organ transplants before July 1992, when better testing of blood donors became available
Chronic hemodialysis patients
Persons with known exposures to HCV, such as
health care workers after needlesticks involving HCV-positive blood
recipients of blood or organs from a donor who tested HCV-positive
Persons with HIV infection
Children born to HCV-positive mothers"

You will not working construction is not on the list

Hep c is not easily transmitted if it was many more people would be infected. Only about 4 million Americans are infected with hep c and numbers are declining as there are now highly effective medicines available that are now curing about 98% of people who were not able to be cured with the old treatments.

Also from the CDC

"Hepatitis C and Health Care Personnel
What is the risk for HCV infection from a needlestick exposure to HCV-contaminated blood?
After a needlestick or sharps exposure to HCV-positive blood, the risk of HCV infection is approximately 1.8% (range: 0%–10%)."


I also have about 10 years or more years of general reading on the subject as I was infected for 37 years before I was cured by the new generation of medicines after treating 4 times  unsuccessfully in the past with the old treatments

Sites like the national institute of health (NIH.gov) and the American Association for the Study of liver diseases AASLD are some of my other sources. Also the University of Washington has some great information about hepatitis c and liver disease. Also some of the reports that come from the annual liver conference sponsored by the AALSD where many experts in the field discuss the state of the art for treating the different forms hepatitis viruses and other liver diseases.

[Michael4112]

My apologies flynn, spoke out of my behind on that last one. Thank you for the information,really appreciate it

[flyinlynn]

I am still just a lay person. I'm just a person who had hep c for 37 years and liver cirrhosis for 9 years now. I learned stuff along the road.

[flyinlynn]

Only if hepatitis c virus infected blood enters your blood stream.

Even in the case of a healthcare worker who experiences an accidental needlestick involving a patient with known hepatitis C their risk of infection is only about 1.8%

So as to your question no not really. Your risk even assuming all of your coworkers were hep c infected (which is very unlikely as only about 1% of the population has hep c) would be nearly zero.  

[Michael4112]

Thanks for the answer flynn, I'm not familiar with the whole hep c subject and the things you can find online can throw anyone off.