I have hepatitis c. my husband does not . how can this be. i have not been with anyone else?

Question

I have been married 17 years. have not been with anyone but him for the last 18 years.

Answer 1

Hepatitis C is not transmitted through bodily fluids or through a restaurant worker's unclean hands. Hep B is transmitted through bodily fluids as well as blood, Hep A is transmitted by an infected person not washing their hands and then preparing food (called the fecal/oral route).
Hepatitis C is rarely spread through sex. It is only spread through blood to blood contact. If there is blood exchanged during sex, or rough sex, or a coinfected (HIV) partner, then the risk of sexual transmission increases. It's this low risk of sexual transmission that contributes to many couples only having one person infected. You should not share toothbrushes or razors with someone because the virus can live outside the human body for days. If you cut yourself with a razor, then your husband uses the razor, he can get the virus in that way.
The most common ways of getting hep C (HCV) is through a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant before 1992, IV drug use even if only one time years ago, tattoos, piercings, pnuematic vaccinations in the military (Vietnam era vets), kidney dialysis, unsterile medical or dental equipment, blood exposure through job (EMT's, paramedics, doctors, nurses, etc), snorting drugs & sharing dollar/straw, multiple sexual partners and previously mentioned sexual practices where blood is involved.
You've probably had hep c for years. People often mistakenly think it lies dormant; but that's not true. Most people don't even know they have it until they are diagnosed years or even decades after infection. It is called the Silent Killer because while you may have no symptoms, it is quietly causing damage (fibrosis) to the liver.
There is treatment with pegylated interferon & ribavirin that has between a 50-80%+ rate of success depending on the genotype. Treatment is a mild form of chemotherapy taken for about a year. The best thing you can do is to educate yourself about the disease so you'll know what to do to live the healthiest life possible. Hep c is manageable, and in many cases treatable as long as you don't wait too long and the damage isn't too severe. Best wishes to you.

Answer 2

Hun, you are thinking that Hep C is an STD. It isn't. Hepatitis C is a blood bourne virus, meaning it's passed through blood. It is NOT passed through bodily fluids like the other person said. You got the virus by coming in contact with an infected person's blood. Whether it was a blood transfusion, sharing of needles, razors, toothbrushes, if you helped someone that was bleeding and you had a small cut, you could have gotten it that way. You may never know exactly how you contracted the virus, but it is more than possible that your husband may never get it. My mom got Hep C from a blood transfusion in the late 60's. She's been married to my dad for 35 years and he has never contracted it.

Answer 3

Hepatitis C is contracted primarily through contact with infected blood, but also through sex with an infected person, and it can be passed on from your mother. It can also be dormant for decades, or even an entire lifetime. The test is not fool-proof, its not uncommon to get a false positive result. It might be a good idea to repeat the test and also check liver enzymes diagnostic of hepatitis C.

This link has some good information:.

Answer 4

Hi nicole, Hepatitis C is a blood borne ailment. This approach for transmission to take position the virus ought to be transfered from one man or woman to a different through alternate of blood. This can occur in the course of anal intercourse on account that there may be the exceptional risk of membranes being torn. There is much less risk in the course of common sex regardless that, nonetheless, it is really useful to make use of a condom.

Answer 5

i have hepatitis c and my boyfriend of 6 years does not. hep c is contracted by blood to blood contact, sharing needles and things to snort drugs with, sharing toothbrushes, razors, tweezers, anything like that. there is a very small chance of getting it sexually. if you just google Hepatitis C there is an awful lot of information that could answer any questions you might have or talk to your doctor.

Answer 6

My Husband has Hep C, and I do not. We have been married for 13 years and I was tested when we got married after I found out he had it...the doctor said that I had build up an immune to the virus, as I carried antibodies, came across it sometime in my life before him. Maybe your husband's body has done the same. It does not come just from sex, it comes from bodily fluids, the passing of or dirty needles other things, he could have passed it to you and he has an immunity to it..
Read up on it on Webmd...See how it is transferred from person to person. I hope this was a help????

Answer 7

Ive heard that that virus lives on surfaces for one week. If you could have come in contact with an infected surface and had a cut on yourself. I'm not a Doctor but I heard to that it takes sometimes 20 to 30 years for you to develop symptoms. Have you ever had a blood transfusion? Its a possible cause.

Answer 8

A family member of mine has hepatitis, but I dont know if its c. Her husband does not have it either. She blames it on this nail salon that was kinda questionable with its cleanliness. It could also be from a dirty needle, like from a tatoo?

Answer 9

Hep C is transmitted by sex OR blood products. Needles, contaminated blood transfusions (extremely rare now) can also cause this. This is NOT transmitted through the oral-fecal route, so contaminated foods wouldn't give it to you.

Answer 10

Hep C is transmitted by blood to blood contact.
It can only be transmitted during sex if there is an exchange of blood which is rare. Usually you contract via blood transfusion, needles. It can be transmitted via saliva, urine and stool but the percentages are much lower.