I just found out today that one of our employees has hepatitis c. how contageous is it? and should I continue to work there if my boss dosent lay that person off.
2006-11-02 06:38:37 · 10 answers · asked by OU812 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
hcv is ONLY contracted via blood to blood transmission. Sex is almost NON existant.
as far as working with someone with hcv, you'd be surprised to find this person is not the only one who has it!
there are many ways of getting hepatitis c....hcv is a tricky disease...even tho a regular liver panel may not show elevations in the ALT and AST levels, you could be infected! (long before the person in question even!) ever done drugs? shared utensils after someone like a cocaine straw? ever been to the dentist? had a peircing or tatoo? every had surgery of any kind prior to 1994? ever had your nails or toenails done? ever cut yourself on something someone else could of cut themselves on? how bout sharing a toothbrush or razor?
hcv usually comes on very slow, it can take decades before something serious happens.
they claim hcv is a-symptomatic, but many who find they have the disease, look back and figure out that the doc, unknowingly, treated each symptom as a seperate disease, without being able to treat the cause due to simply not knowing what to treat. (these symptoms are called bi-directional diseases).
if you want to be sure you don't have hcv yourself, regardless of risk factors or not, get tested for antibodies.
hcv corpuscles found in bodily fluids are not transmittable.
again, hcv is ONLY acquired through a blood to blood transmission of some kind.
now, if you suggest to your boss to lay a person off just because he has a disease, your spelling trouble. it's discrimination...hcv is something that i grew up with and has kept me from working do to brain fog and short term memory, but this doe's not affect everyone who has hcv.
i would also like to add if kids can go to school with hepatitis c like i did from the age of 8 and on, one can certainly have job security. i think you would benefit from being a little more kind and understanding as anyone can be unhealthy at any given time. the treatment for hepatitis c is very expensive (over 60 thousand dollars for a years worth of antiviral chemotherapy), so let it alone, chances are this person may need the job....
2006-11-02 13:36:09 · answer #1 · answered by Stephanie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that only a person that comes in contact with the semen, blood or saliva of a person with hepatitis C can contact it.
At one time I was told that I had it, I was wondering when I was going to die, because 85% of the people with it, at that time, ended up with psoriasis or the liver, and at one time I was also a heavy drinker, so that raised my odds of getting it. However I went to a specialist and he took blood tests and did other tests and informed me that I did not have hepatitis C and that I never did, that it was my gall bladder. He said that if they had taken my blood tests further that they would have found it. But I was in fear for 5 long years. After I had my gall bladder out, my blood tests were normal.
I would not let anyone eat or drink after me and I had no sex at that time, and I didn't even kiss my family, that it how much fear I had.
I had never had a blood tranfusion or shot up, but I had been a health care worker, so if I had had it, that would have been the only way I could have contacted it.
2006-11-02 06:58:03 · answer #2 · answered by nevada nomad 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
You're not going to get it from her saliva, so don't worry about it. Transmission requires her blood to enter your blood stream through and open wound on your body. This is the only way it transfers. Relax, you'll be fine.
2016-05-23 19:00:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have worked with a co-worker for 4 years who has hepatitis C which he only told me about it last year. I immediately made a doctor's appointment but my doctor said that as long as I was not having sex with my co-worker that I was find. I laughed out loud at the thought and shyly said "No" (which I was not) but I guess my doctor was not convinced and ordered the test which came back negative.
Keep in mind the following:
How could a person have gotten hepatitis C?
HCV is spread primarily by direct contact with human blood. For example, you may have gotten infected with HCV if:
you ever injected street drugs, as the needles and/or other drug "works" used to prepare or inject the drug(s) may have had someone else's blood that contained HCV on them.
you received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor whose blood contained HCV.
you were ever on long-term kidney dialysis as you may have unknowingly shared supplies/equipment that had someone else's blood on them.
you were ever a healthcare worker and had frequent contact with blood on the job, especially accidental needlesticks.
your mother had hepatitis C at the time she gave birth to you. During the birth her blood may have gotten into your body.
you ever had sex with a person infected with HCV.
you lived with someone who was infected with HCV and shared items such as razors or toothbrushes that might have had his/her blood on them
2006-11-02 06:53:52 · answer #4 · answered by Sunflower 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think the supervisor must be know that. If you concerned about it, talk to your supervisor. Also you can get some information about hepatitis on the Internet also. I don't think so this is dangerous for you or for anothers, but just be careful.
2006-11-02 06:43:12 · answer #5 · answered by cat 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
hep C is contagious if you exchange bodily fluids...the disease can live on a dry surface for up to a week but as far as you catching it in a work place im sure its slim to none...not to mention you cant expect your boss to fire someone for this...im sure you have come across many people with hep C and didnt know it...just go about your business as usual you will be fine
2006-11-02 06:48:03 · answer #6 · answered by ELIZY 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It is not contagious. Just do not exchange blood or have sex with him and all is well.
2006-11-02 06:56:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's only spread by bodily secretions, vaginal. semen, saliva, blood, tears, mucus, etc. Keep away from kissing or sharing glasses & you'll be OK. Not spread in the air.
2006-11-02 06:47:43 · answer #8 · answered by blackbird 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋
It is safe as long as he/she doesn't bleed on you.or have unprotected sex with you.
2006-11-02 07:06:27 · answer #9 · answered by funyredtall 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
hepatitis is pretty contagious. get vaccinated and you don't have to worry about it.
2006-11-02 06:41:34 · answer #10 · answered by yonitan 4 · 1⤊ 7⤋