CDC Comments on Hep C Transmission & Research Evidence
[QUOTE=Checkumout;2925144][u]Hep c is not passed by sexual contact[/u] it is passed by direct blood contact such as blood transfusion which is why most SW that shoot up will get hep c because of the direct blood contact from using a needle that someone has used that has hep c.[/QUOTE]I would be happier if the author said "Hep C is not [I][u]usually[/u][/I] passed by sexual contact. " The absolute statement appears to be false. Low risk is NOT equal to no risk. Risk levels however are quantified in the research cited below. With the EXACT facts one can make a decision on the risk and how much risk wants to take. And of course, how to manage one's risk.
From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
[I][b]Can Hepatitis C be spread through sexual contact?[/b]
Yes, but the risk of transmission from sexual contact is believed to be low. The risk increases for those who have multiple sex partners, have a sexually transmitted disease, engage in rough sex, or are infected with HIV. More research is needed to better understand how and when Hepatitis C can be spread through sexual contact.
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[URL]http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm[/URL]
[I][b]How is Hepatitis C spread?[/b]
Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants.
People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as
Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs
Needlestick injuries in health care settings
Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C
Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through
Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another persons blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus
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One study found:
The maximum incidence rate of HCV transmission by sex was 0. 07% per year (95% confidence interval, 0. 01-0. 13) or approximately one per 190,000 sexual contacts. No specific sexual practices were related to HCV positivity among couples.
The results of this study provide quantifiable risk information for counseling long-term monogamous heterosexual couples in which one partner has chronic HCV infection. In addition to the extremely low estimated risk for HCV infection in sexual partners, the lack of association with specific sexual practices provides unambiguous and reassuring counseling messages.
[URL]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4384338/[/URL]
