Hep c risk

[Worriedsick514]

Hello I've been in a mutually monagmous relationship with a woman for the past 8 months. She had 4 unprotected sexual partners in the year preceding our involvement with the last partner (both anal and vaginal unprotected) one month prior to our being together. We were both tested for HIV, hep c, hep b, clamydia, Gono and syphilis at three months being together (3 months since her last unprotected partner actually). We tested negative for everything. The hep c test was an antibody test. I have been feeling fine about all of this and fel I was being responsible but I just read an article that hep c may be more sexually transmitted than previously thought and that the testing is not reliable until 6-9 months. Now I'm frwaking out that I may get hep c? We have unprotected vaginal sex even when she has her periods and she gets them heavy. Am I at risk??

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If you ask the question about probability of infection as a new question you will get a slightly more detailed repeat of the answer I've already provided.  

Further questions will be deleted without comment.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

Will you be responding to this question or should I pay the fee and start a new thread?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

It is impossible, and a fool's task, to try to guess such probabilities.  I said, low and I meant it.

Now it is time for this thread to end.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

What would you say is my risk probability with  both of our sexual histories, no history of any lesions or any stds and  either of us have had any outbreaks after having had sex with each other twice a day for 8 months unprotected ?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Routine blood tests for HSV are not recommended and I would not recommend it in this instance.  

There are many discussions of the problems with HSV blood tests which can be found using the search function found at the top of the page.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

Just have one more question. If its unrelated just tell me and I'll start a new thread and pay the fee. I was under the impression that since I have never had any symptoms of herpes nor has my partner that we should not be screened. I'm wondering if I'm wrong. She is my second partner who I've had unprotected sex with but she has had arOund 20 other partners who were unprotected and others who were protected. She has never had an std nor any lesions on her vagina and denies that her past partners ever had lesions that she has seen. We have been mutually monogamous for 8 months- lesion free. Given her past should I or her or both be getting tested for herpes? I rather not unless it's really necessary...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Try hard to not worry. I assure you that your anxiety is not warranted.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

I appreciate your response and thank you for the reassurance. I still feel anxious about this, given the negligible risk (she did have receptive unprotected anal sex, only 3 month test post exposure), but I'm convincing myself that since you are recommending I move on from this that I'll put this behind me. This is why I consulted your expert opinion. Thanks and have a nice weekend.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Even if she hadanal intercourse with prior partners.  Really, there is no need to worry.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

Even if she used to have unprotected anal sex with her previous partners? Her last partner was three months before her negative test

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll be pleased to help. There is increasing scientific interest in hepatitis C and one of the things that occurs when there is increased scientific interest in a topic is that it also leads to increased mis-information as well.  Please do not worry.

Hepatitis C is typically transmitted by needles sticks, most often due to sharing of needles among IV drug users.  Hepatitis C almost never transmitted through heterosexual genital or oral intercourse. We have known that the infection is sometimes, but still not often, sexually transmitted between men who have sex with other men- usually in the context of receptive rectal intercourse.  Furthermore, will there MAY be a few cases of hepatitis C that are not detected by antibody testing at 3 months, that number is very, very small.  

In your specific situation, as a heterosexual couple with negative antibody tests for hepatitis C, unless one of you is an IV drug user, I can assure you that there is no risk that either of you has hepatitis C and that neither of you is at risk for sexual transmission of hepatitis C to each other.  Please do not worry. further, there is no reason for either of you to test further for hepatitis C unless one of you is an IV drug user or is in situation where you are at risk for being stuck with used needles.  

I hope my comments are reassuring.  EWH

[Worriedsick514]

Neither of us have ever used needles and i believe her last partner before me never used needles or had anal sex with a man. Neither of us have herpes