Is it possible?

[gettinbetr]

I purchased a pair of exercise pants at a store.  The next day I took off the tags and wore them over 12 hours.  That night as I was using the restroom, I noticed blood in the crotch area of the pants.  It was on a white sewn in insert used for ventilation during exercise.  My question:  Am I at risk for hepatitis or STD or anything?  Thank you.

[gettinbetr]

Thank you for your expertise.  My brother's stepson is now clear of hep c...he went through tough teen years.  He was treated for a very long time (said it was terrible) but supposedly his blood shows no signs of it.  I don't know the details, I've only met him once, as they live in the northeast.

You've been very helpful to me...Bottom line for me is to Give it to the Lord now....He runs the show anyway.  God Bless You

[Bill1954]

Hi there, sorry to hear of your past problems.

Percutaneous exposure refers to under-the-skin needle stick accidents; such as a nurse or other healthcare worker might receive from improper administration of an injection. Presumably there is less volume of blood involved, and therefore lower odds of transmission than say, intravenous injection. My point being that if the odds of infection from this risk is so low, that mere skin contact from blood of an infected individual isn’t something to be concerned with.

Human skin is a durable barrier; simple contact with blood isn’t necessarily a concern as long as it’s intact. Of course, universal precautions are always preferable whenever possible.

Many of us in the community were exposed through IV drug use/youthful indiscretion; others may have been exposed from blood transfusions, etc. Your relative may or may not have been infected as a result of drug use; the fact of the matter is that there’s no way to determine how or where one gets the disease... he might have gotten it from air gun injections in the service, poor medical hygiene etc. Importantly, he’s hopefully getting care and managing his disease.

Take care-

--Bill

[gettinbetr]

Thanks for the tough love!  

[orphanedhawk]

Honestly I don't hate anyone.
Telling it like it is can be an act of love.

If you were one of my kids I'd tell you to grow up and use your brain.
You found us, you could do a google search and find your answer.

I am annoyed when people make up reasons to post unrelated stuff on this forum just to get a reply. I'm sorry if you have OCD or other problems.
This is not the place to come for support and communication. Go to the OCD forum.

This is a forum centered on Hep C. Many of the members are either very sick, or currently dealing with difficult side effects of treatment.

So, when someone shows up and takes space away from that, I get annoyed.

Any google search about hep C transmission would bring up
"Blood to blood contact"
Thats your answer.

Lovingly,
Post closed.

[gettinbetr]

end of sentence....oops

Please don't be a hater to those of us who don't understand.

Healing Blessings to you, orphanedhawk, and I wish you wellness in abundance.  God Bless You and those you love

[gettinbetr]

Thank you for your information.  He is a reformed alcoholic, therefore I just assumed it was alcohol related.  Drugs were also in the picture, I just really don't know what caused this.

For you and Hector, I think that what you are telling me is that my grandson is relatively safe.  I don't know the lingo used in discussing this...seroconversion?  percutaneous?   I'm a grandma, not a doctor!  I'm just thankful that you are taking the time to help me.  I didn't know about dried blood....the internet said the virus lives in dried blood.  That is why I asked about it.  Eureka helped a lot too.
As for orphanedhawk, I'm an orphan, too.....I lost both my parents when I was 25 years old, so I know that **** happens.  After that I lost a child, a father in law, my mother in law before I was 30, and my husband had a penetrating brain injury when I was 37.  I didn't mean to infer that hepatitis is associated with std....I was only listing it along with the others.  
I wear deep scars.  Please don't be a hater.

[HectorSF]

"The average incidence of anti-HCV seroconversion after accidental percutaneous exposure from an HCV-positive source is 1.8% ....with one study indicating that transmission occurred only from hollow-bore needles compared with other sharps.”

Thanks for posting that Bill. Very interesting.
Wish they presented some updated info.

Hector

[Bill1954]

HCV is a viral disease and isn’t caused by alcohol consumption. It’s just not efficiently transmitted outside of IV infusion/injection. Even occupational percutaineous needle stick accidents that occur in the medical field (with a *known* carrier of infection) only carry a transmission risk of roughly 1.8% per incident.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Needle stick Risk for Occupational Transmission of HCV
HCV is not transmitted efficiently through occupational exposures to blood. The average incidence of anti-HCV seroconversion after accidental percutaneous exposure from an HCV-positive source is 1.8% (range: 0%--7%) (73--76), with one study indicating that transmission occurred only from hollow-bore needles compared with other sharps (75).”

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5011a1.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Household transmission is rare to the point of being clinically insignificant; you don’t have to worry about grandkids, etc.

Take care-

--Bill

[gettinbetr]

Thank you for your kindness.  It brought tears to my eyes to know what you go through and what you are facing.  My daughter's father in law has hep c, (I think from alcohol) and our grandson often stays over at their house.  The thought goes through my mind, but I dismiss it.  My daughter is at ease, so it puts me more at ease.

I just wanted to touch base with you.  I'm definitely NOT keeping those pants!  I feel like I have been violated by them!!!  :(

My best to you and your husband....and again, your kind words mean a lot to someone who has been around and crossed life changing hurdles for quite a while.  Take care in abundance....

[eureka254]

Since your realize hep c is not an STD, the blood being in your vaginal area, especially since you were wearing underpants, should not be raising your concerns for hep c at all.  No one here can really answer to "all pathogens," we are specifically a hep c community, and I hope that helps alleviate your fears, which are not reasonable fears.

Again, contact with dried blood does not put you at risk.  To be honest, you could easily go from caring for someone with hep c who was bleeding to caring for your soon to be grandchild, and it would not be a risk ... the only impact on your care would be your runaway imagination.  I say this with confidence because I have handled my husband's dried blood, fresh blood, flowing blood... and though my heart is anxious that he is dying of hep c, despite so much exposure over 25 years, I am hep c negative.  Hope that sets your mind at ease and your anxious heart to rest.

Keep those pants on, and enjoy the coming of yuur new family member. :)
Best wishes. ~eureka

[gettinbetr]

Thank you.  I realize that hep C is not an STD.  I was pertaining to all pathogens....I have a granddaughter that is due the end of January, and I feel that the dried blood could have impact on me and my care for her.  I just wanted to know if I was at risk....I didn't mean to stir anyone up.  An anxious heart seeks a kind word.  I read on the internet that the hepatitis virus can live in dried blood and I just wanted to know if I was at risk since it was so near my vaginal area..  
Believe me, I will inspect pants before I try them on, and by the way, I did have on underpants.  

[eureka254]

Even if we were to smear fresh blood all over your crotch, you would not be at risk for hepatitis (which as orphanedhawk points out, is NOT an STD).  In the future, it would be well advised to not only remove the tags, but inspect and perhaps launder new items before wearing.  Or, getting in the habit of wearing underpants might help alleviate these kinds of concerns for you.  ~eureka
PS: And the ventilation in the insert perhaps would make your crotch more at risk for airborne diseases, but not hepatitis.

[orphanedhawk]

Have you heard of bleach or how about hot water and soap??
Please go back to your OCD forum.

This is a hep C forum.
Hep C IS NOT an STD.