Worried I have hep c after manicure

[Ellajai]

Hello I recently got married in Cuba and received a manicure at the resort I was staying at. They had a booth setup for tourists in which they perform manicures. I told the lady that I only wanted my nails painted and as I was looking at polish she began quickly cutting my cuticles as there was also a language barrier. It caught me off guard so I let her complete the cutting of the cuticles with the manicure set she had at her station. I didn't see any blood during the procedure, but one of my cuticles was a bit sore later that evening although I couldn't see any blood being drawn I thought I saw a small scabbed like area where I maybe was nicked.  What concerns me though is I did not see her clean the instruments after using them on me she just packed then up and I am freaking out now thinking I may have contracted hep c. The resort that I stayed at is a five star resort with mostly elderly people generally between the ages if 30-60 with max of 1000 people staying at this resort. What are the chances I contacted hep c?

[virt111]

Hepatitis C has a strong will to live outside the body, unlike HIV.  It can even remain active in dried blood.  If you have a puncture wound, washing your hands is not going to help as the virus has already entered your bloodstream.

Sounds like you're pretty anxious and looking to this forum to help your head.  Like the others have mentioned, the only true way you're going to have peace is to get tested (and to test neg).

[hrsepwrguy]

The only way to answer all the "what if" questions is to get tested. still slim to none chance of infection though.

Have a great day

[Ellajai]

How come the manicure thing is listed on health sites if it is considered low risk? Would transmission rates be lower than the needle stick? I am still slightly paranoid about the scabbed area that I had. I know it is probably unlikely in say a guess of 20-30 people that perhaps went to the booth that day, that any of them had hep c and were cut before me right? Also if the blood was dry does this reduce the infection chance? Does it make a difference that I didn't get to wash my hands for about 20 minutes after the manicure? These were a few other questions I wondered about.

[kirk8]

I agree, slim to none.

Although those instruments should really be thrown away after every use. This doesn't really sound like an exposure risk.  It would be more likely had she cut you and you started bleeding.

I wouldn't even give it another thought.

[hrsepwrguy]

How soon after exposure to HCV can anti-HCV be detected?

HCV infection can be detected by anti-HCV screening tests (enzyme immunoassay) 4–10 weeks after infection. Anti-HCV can be detected in >97% of persons by 6 months after exposure.

How soon after exposure to HCV can HCV RNA be detected by PCR?

HCV RNA appears in blood and can be detected as early as 2–3 weeks after infection.

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/HCVfaq.htm#c5

[Ellajai]

Is 6 weeks a good amount of time to get tested or do you have to wait longer? I have gotten mixed reports online?

[Ellajai]

Thanks that helps. How long would you have to wait to get tested? I thought chances might be slim as the resort is small and someone with hep c would've had to have a manicure within about 3 days of mine and been cut with their blood contaminating the manicure set. Being that I didn't actively bleed also helps.

[hrsepwrguy]

"What are the chances I contacted hep c?"

Slim to none, if your worried, get tested, it is the only way to know for sure.

Have a great day