Hep C. Transmission risk (dried blood, bloody nose)

[mart1244]

Hi everyone,

I think I might be a bit overthinking this a bit too much, since I already knew a lot about transmission modes of Hep. C. So this was the case the other night; after a party on a bus on the way back a guy wanted to show his 'diet' on his phone. I took the phone and watched it, but afterwards I noticed he had dried blood on his hand, he swiped on his phone but I assume there where microscopic amount of blood which my hand came in contact with. For the record, I did not had any noticeable blood on my hands. So, after I saw this I went into a gas station and washed my hands with water and a tiny, tiny amount of soap (since there was no more left in the dispenser). I tried to do it as hard as possible with water though. I had in mind as soon as I came back home I would cleanse them, but on the way back on my bike I got a bloody nose. I had in mind I should not poke this with my fingers, so instead I used the inside of my sweater to wipe it like with a down up movement, but not poking inside my nose or whatever. So the mode of transmission should have been; his dried blood on hands --> to his phone --> to my hands on a microscopic level --> still be on my hands after washing with water --> got in contact with my sweater or where I cleaned it with --> and should have come in contact with the broken part of the nasal lining.

I do not know if he has Hep. C and even if he has it, I think it handled it correctly and there should be no risk for transmission or a theoretical low one?

I hope I can get some ease of mind.

Thanks in advance

[flyinlynn]

As you have already said exceedingly low to no risk

[mart1244]

I now recall that after this, back home after this little 'accident' I washed my hands with soap, I think twice. I went under the shower and after having shampooed my hair, and washed my body with bodywash I think I might entered my nose with this hand. Could be. But this still should not be an event where I should require testing would it?

[flyinlynn]

Having this enter your nose unless there was hep c blood present and you had an open wound in your nose should not be a risk. Hep c infected blood must enter your blood stream through an open wound. Your nose is not an open wound.

The most common ways to contract hep c are through the sharing of IV needles and blood transfusion prior to 1990 when testing was developed to detect hep c antibodies and the blood supply was secured. As you can imagine sharing IV needles or especially getting a transfusion would be a much greater exposure to hep c infected blood than what you experienced.

You may want to consider counseling  or possibly medication for your apparent medical anxiety concerns about the very low possibility of contracting illness. Most people do not spend their time and energy dwelling on these types of concerns. Please treat the condition you apparently have, anxiety and try to stop worrying about the ones you don’t.