Military Veterans

[brandej]

Are there any Hep C positive veterans out there who received vacinations with the air injector gun while on active duty in the early 1970's or late 1960's?  The veteran population from that time period has a high prevelence of Hepatitis C and some believe that the air injector method of giving vacinations used at that time might be the cause.  I was in the Marine Corps from 70 to 74 and remember being vacinated with this method where we were simply lined up and injected one by one by stepping forward to the injection station.  The air injector gun shot a high pressure pre-measured dose through the skin on the upper arm.  The end of the air gun that touched the arm could not have been sterile as I remember seeing bleeding arms on some after the shot was given.  This has recently been added to the list of risk factors for Hep C.  Comments??

[Patti_Blue]

I got Hep C 1a genio- type in 1980 from shots given with the air gun. Haven't started treatment yet, and am worried how treatment will be. Think I need to file for a check cause I am too sick to stand much let alone work.

[PhineasT007]

1976 US ARMY still have my shot record with swine flu from 77. yeah one right after the other got it. there was an artical about 5 years ago about this in the READER before I saw that I thought i got it because without my knowledge i must have used drugs at a party and got it. i didn't know about blow-back from the gun and I knew how you got HepC so I was really at a lost on how I got it. but almost 30 years to the day I started feeling weak and not active anylonger and found out why and there also web data on a vet who won. but i tried the VA but they said no. i did not dispute. but i think since it was for hepc and at that time I said chronic hep that maybe a legal issue will allow me to refile with the VA for chronic hepC not just HepC? good luck but i am going into treatment soon and so what they didn't compensate at least they are helping me. PS i got punched in the nose once and i am calling it in under then new battery and sexual abuse act thing. maybe i will get comp and a nose job? good luck fellow vets! 7thCav 5th Bat.

[MsMelissa1974]

My fiancée and his brother joined the Army National Guard back in the 1970's era under the buddy system.  They too remember being air gun injected and blood being everywhere.  The air gun was never sterilized.  My fiancée's brother, needless to say is now deceased because of this unnecessary action.  My fiancée also underwent treatment for Hep C.  We have been doing battle with the VA for approximately eight years now and they deny this ever happened.  We are also trying to obtain an article stating that there was an outbreak and they tell us it doesn't exist.  The article does exist because my fiancée did see it, we just are unable to get our hands on it for proof.  Is anyone aware of this article?

[davey12]

I was inducted into the Air Force on 30Nov70 at Fort Wayne (I believe it was called) in Detroit, Michigan. Same thing, never had multiple sex partners, never shared needles or illegal drugs. Docs found it in Dec 2001, started treatment Feb. 2002. It was 9 months of hell followed by many years of purgatory. My health has sucked since my induction into the A F. It still was a great time, should have stayed in. I remember agent orange vets had to protest and protest to get the help they needed and deserved!!!! Just saying. If anyone has any info or ideas contact me

[scottie24]

13 years ld his thread.  wild.

1986 - 1990. Induction and two overseas deployments, US Army.  Many, many air gun shots, plus bloodwings with my blood brothers.  I remember thinking, "Jeez, did they just give me AIDS?"

I read that the high pressure liquid vaporized blood in the skin, which would often settle just a bit on the tip of the gun to be injected into the next person.  

[radioman51]

I did not contract Hep C from the hydraulic injectors, BUT, am 100 percent certain, I contracted Hepatitis B.  The instruments used for mass injections were not the problem, the corpsmen, medics and any other military and civilian medical person used the injectors improperly - thus creating the perfect opportunity for transmitting tainted blood/body fluids.  No sterilization of the instrument after EACH use, or swabbing the arms.  I can remember as if it was yesterday standing in line with so many other boot camp sailors, watching as many received the pump and walked away with small rips in the skin and blood dripping down their arm.  I also recall asking the corpsman to please sterilize the instrument, his hands and my arm prior to injection.  This was in 1972 at Navy Bootcamp in Orlando, Florida.  I am female but gender made no difference in how the injections were administered.  Within just 2 weeks perhaps a few days more, I developed slight jaundice, high fever , severe fatigue.  I was hospitalized for just a few days with the diagnosis being HEAT exhaustion. Not being medically trained, I went with the diagnosis and finished boot camp on time and went on to retire.  In retrospect, through the last 40 years, my health took some rather odd dips - fatigue, nausea, fever and overall feeling of malaise.  Recuperation usually lasted a couple months before I felt my strength return.  I donated blood shortly after bootcamp, and received a letter from the base Red Cross and base hospital advising me that abnormal results were found in the blood spin after donation.  I was informed by the base hospital I had Australia Antigen B (Hep B), and was treated like a pariah.  Back then, medicine believed Hep B was contracted through needle sharing or exchange of body fluids through unsafe sex.  Knowing I had never used drugs of any sort, and also, had never had a sexual relationship, I thought of the injections.  Fast forward 40 years.  This year in fact, yes, I have had active periods of Hep B, and have been diagnosed with stage one liver cancer/disease.  I do not drink and have not done any drugs and my physical exchanges have been safe.  Now, medicine understands the hydraulic instruments used for mass innoculations for not just the military, but for school children and other large groups have been impacted by the lack of caution used by whomever was doing the inoculation caused many to test positive for Hep B and Hep C and possibly other long term conditions.  

This is a long response, and perhaps not the answer you were looking for, but I feel it is important that others in our situation should understand that Hep C is not the only member of the Hep family that one contracted from tainted instruments.  It takes a micro virus to become infected.  No, I have not asked if this is considered service connected but I will.  Thank you.