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Can a wife in an affair bring home HEP C to husband and not get it herself?
Wife and lover get together during day while husband is out of town on business trips. When hubby gets home, they have sex. This goes on for a year. Red Cross bans hubby from donating blood because HEP C antibodies show up, but they don't ban her from giving. Now my MD is concerned about mine and I'm still trying to figure out how I got this.
She can not transmit what she does not have. If she is not infected with hep c she is not infected and cannot transmit an infection she does not carry.
There are some who were infected in the past with no idea how this happened. If you only have hepatitis c antibodies there are a few instances that can cause a false positive even if you were never exposed to the virus.
About 25% of people are able to beat the virus on their own with no treatment.
So if you test negative fro the virus with the HCV RNA by PCR test either you are having a false positive or you may have been able to beat the virus on your own. There is no way to determine the cause for a positive antibody test with a not detected HCV RNA test.
“False Positives:
A false positive occurs when the ELISA test comes up positive for hep C antibodies, but the person taking the test was never exposed to hep C virus, which leads the RNA test to read as negative.
The problem is that antibodies that the immune system has produced to combat infections other than hep C can be what’s known as “cross-reactive”: The ELISA winds up picking up on these antibodies’ presence and incorrectly coming up positive. Research has shown, for example, that people are much more likely to test false positive if they’re living in areas of Africa where exposure to infectious diseases such as worms is more common. “There are a myriad of things than can infect you, particularly in areas where you don’t have a lot of sanitation and clean water,” says Oliver Laeyendecker, PhD, an infectious disease researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Those who test false positive, regardless of the reason, will likely continue to do so for the duration of their lives. So in the event of future hep C exposure, an RNA test will be needed to accurately diagnose an infection. Major risk factors for contracting hep C include: injection drug use, including steroids; the sharing of needles, syringes or other injection materials; needlestick injuries in a health care setting; tattoos or piercings performed with non-sterilized equipment; and condomless sex among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM).
There is also always the rare possibility of lab error leading to a false positive or a false negative test result.”
There are some who were infected in the past with no idea how this happened. If you only have hepatitis c antibodies there are a few instances that can cause a false positive even if you were never exposed to the virus.
About 25% of people are able to beat the virus on their own with no treatment.
So if you test negative fro the virus with the HCV RNA by PCR test either you are having a false positive or you may have been able to beat the virus on your own. There is no way to determine the cause for a positive antibody test with a not detected HCV RNA test.
“False Positives:
A false positive occurs when the ELISA test comes up positive for hep C antibodies, but the person taking the test was never exposed to hep C virus, which leads the RNA test to read as negative.
The problem is that antibodies that the immune system has produced to combat infections other than hep C can be what’s known as “cross-reactive”: The ELISA winds up picking up on these antibodies’ presence and incorrectly coming up positive. Research has shown, for example, that people are much more likely to test false positive if they’re living in areas of Africa where exposure to infectious diseases such as worms is more common. “There are a myriad of things than can infect you, particularly in areas where you don’t have a lot of sanitation and clean water,” says Oliver Laeyendecker, PhD, an infectious disease researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Those who test false positive, regardless of the reason, will likely continue to do so for the duration of their lives. So in the event of future hep C exposure, an RNA test will be needed to accurately diagnose an infection. Major risk factors for contracting hep C include: injection drug use, including steroids; the sharing of needles, syringes or other injection materials; needlestick injuries in a health care setting; tattoos or piercings performed with non-sterilized equipment; and condomless sex among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM).
There is also always the rare possibility of lab error leading to a false positive or a false negative test result.”
7 Comments
I'm not talking of catching from her, but maybe from his fluids left inside of her. She had sex with the two of us during the same day and I was second. This confirmed by her when she confessed. I've read the virus can live up to three weeks on surfaces outside the body. I don't know if he has this or not. I guess it really doesn't matter, it was a long time ago, just curious as to how I may have caught it. BTW, we are still together.
Hepatitis c infected blood must enter the blood stream of an uninflected person through an open wound.
Hep c in general in not considered by the CDC to be a sexually transmitted disease. There is an increased risk for those who engage in rough sexual practices where there is a risk of blood exchange or for MSM especially in the presence of HIV. Also there is a slightly increased risk for those who have multiple sexual partners.
There have been numerous couples here where one has hep c and the other does not. Sexual activities are not an efficient means of transmission because hep c blood must enter the blood stream.
Many who show positive for antibodies who have no know risk often wonder the same but there is no way to know. I doubt this exposure was any risk unless the other male was infected with hep c and somehow his blood entered your blood stream.
Even a health care worker who experiences a needle stick involving a patient with know hep c their risk is only about 1.8%
If you are not detected on the HCV RNA test you may have cleared the virus on your own or you may have a false positive for some other reason and we're never infected. There is no way to know what is causing your positive antibody test result.
Have you been tested for hep c antibodies in the past?
Have you received a blood transfusion before 1989?
Have you ever had a tattoo or piercing done at an unlicensed facility?
Is it possible your mother may have had hep c when you were born?
Have you ever shared a razor or toothbrush?
From the CDC:
"How is Hepatitis C spread?
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 person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus
Can Hepatitis C be spread through sexual contact?
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.
Can you get Hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or piercing?
A few major research studies have not shown Hepatitis C to be spread through licensed, commercial tattooing facilities. However, transmission of Hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing. Body art is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and unregulated tattooing and piercing are known to occur in prisons and other informal or unregulated settings.
Further research is needed to determine if these types of settings and exposures are responsible for Hepatitis C virus transmission.
Can Hepatitis C be spread within a household?
Yes, but this does not occur very often. If Hepatitis C virus is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct, through-the-skin exposure to the blood of an infected household member."
Hep c in general in not considered by the CDC to be a sexually transmitted disease. There is an increased risk for those who engage in rough sexual practices where there is a risk of blood exchange or for MSM especially in the presence of HIV. Also there is a slightly increased risk for those who have multiple sexual partners.
There have been numerous couples here where one has hep c and the other does not. Sexual activities are not an efficient means of transmission because hep c blood must enter the blood stream.
Many who show positive for antibodies who have no know risk often wonder the same but there is no way to know. I doubt this exposure was any risk unless the other male was infected with hep c and somehow his blood entered your blood stream.
Even a health care worker who experiences a needle stick involving a patient with know hep c their risk is only about 1.8%
If you are not detected on the HCV RNA test you may have cleared the virus on your own or you may have a false positive for some other reason and we're never infected. There is no way to know what is causing your positive antibody test result.
Have you been tested for hep c antibodies in the past?
Have you received a blood transfusion before 1989?
Have you ever had a tattoo or piercing done at an unlicensed facility?
Is it possible your mother may have had hep c when you were born?
Have you ever shared a razor or toothbrush?
From the CDC:
"How is Hepatitis C spread?
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 person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus
Can Hepatitis C be spread through sexual contact?
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.
Can you get Hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or piercing?
A few major research studies have not shown Hepatitis C to be spread through licensed, commercial tattooing facilities. However, transmission of Hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing. Body art is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and unregulated tattooing and piercing are known to occur in prisons and other informal or unregulated settings.
Further research is needed to determine if these types of settings and exposures are responsible for Hepatitis C virus transmission.
Can Hepatitis C be spread within a household?
Yes, but this does not occur very often. If Hepatitis C virus is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct, through-the-skin exposure to the blood of an infected household member."
Forgot one
Were you in the military and received air gun shots?
Were you in the military and received air gun shots?
No tattoos, no sharing of razor or toothbrush, Mom, I don't know. No air gun, No sharing needles, no piercing.
I haven't had a Hep c test since about '92. My MD wants to do a panel with my next blood work. I'll probably never know, it was just a haunting question. Thank you for all the information.
I haven't had a Hep c test since about '92. My MD wants to do a panel with my next blood work. I'll probably never know, it was just a haunting question. Thank you for all the information.
Have you had the HCV RNA by PCR test yet to see if your are currently infected and need treatment?
No, I take it that is what my MD is working towards.
Ok best of luck I hope you are not infected. But if you are the meds approved in the last couple of years are very effective at about 98% while the old treatments were only about 30%. They are also much better tolerated by patients with for most people few side effects the most common being mild headache.
Depending on which sub species (genotype) of hep c, treatments vary but could be as simple as one pill a day for 8 or 12 weeks in many cases and you would be cured. Then you could put this entirely behind you.
Best of luck
Depending on which sub species (genotype) of hep c, treatments vary but could be as simple as one pill a day for 8 or 12 weeks in many cases and you would be cured. Then you could put this entirely behind you.
Best of luck
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