drinking blood

[oooccc]

can you get hepatitis c by drinking blood

[copyman]

yes, most vampires have HCV :)

seriously ....NO you can not. Stomach acids will kill virus. The only way would be if you had cuts in mouth and even that would be remote possibility.

[nygirl7]

Actually most vampires can tell when blood is tainted and wont drink it.  I saw this on TrueBlood a few seasons back. I guess since we all have the antibodies still we'd be safe :D

Seriously Copy the world is getting spookier and spookier isn't it?

[willbb]

I would say yes ..as guster points out...damaged gums, cuts in the mouth etc.
never read a study that said it could or couldn"t ....imagine tough to get volunteers

I suggest getting tested (if you did that) and possibly stop doing it.

[nygirl7]

I suggest you stop drinking blood too - HCV should be the least of your worries here.

[R Glass]

  Yes it is possible through means already pointed out by others.
I know I am going to regret this but I’ll be the first to take the bait, why are you drinking blood?

[HectorSF]

Tip: Don't drink blood!
Try water or milk or some other friendly beverage.

;-)
Hector

[curiouslady1]

ROFL!!! Thanks guys, I needed a good laugh!  Seriously though.  In some countries, people do drink/eat blood; although it is animal blood.  Which brings up the question as to whether animals can get Hep C or transmit it.  When I lived in the tropical western Pacific, there was Dinaguan and Fritata which was pig blood and innards chopped up and cooked for a long time with some green leafy vegetable and hot pepper.  It was actually delish.  Another question, does cooking kill the virus?  Going from the ridiculous to the sublime (if we are not there yet), if you cook blood first before injecting it or transfusing it or drinking it or whatever, can you still get HEP C !!?/!!**#?

[Emily_MHManager]

Let's remember that what may seem like a foolish or strange question to some of you is a real concern for the person posting it, and that MedHelp is a safe and supportive site for everyone.

Emily

[nygirl7]

You are indeed one curiouslady aren't you?  For me eating something different is when they change up the recipe at my favorite restaurant and I cant' figure out the spices ;)

I didn't realize that people do drink blood in other countries but animals like pigs and dogs and cats and cows dont catch hepc so it wouldn't be in there in the first place.

I think the only animal that can is a chimpanzee but I could be wrong about that part.

[spectda]

Come on emily. We have to support anyone? Can't medhelp at least provide some garlic.:)

[spectda]

I think someone posted this before, be careful around fido!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/health/31hepatitis.html
"Viral Outbreaks in Dogs Yield Clues on Origins of Hepatitis C"
The researchers see three possibilities for the origin of the viruses. The least likely is that dogs acquired hepatitis C from humans. Another possibility is that dogs and humans both acquired the virus from an unknown animal. This is the sort of evolution that gave rise to the 2004 outbreak of SARS. At first scientists found the virus in the catlike palm civet of Southeast Asia. But later research revealed that the virus actually started out in bats and then spread to palm civets and humans.

[nygirl7]

Isn't it a completely different type of hepatitis that is what we were always told?

[Emily_MHManager]

Spectda -

You don't have to support them, but you do have to be civil, polite and respectful.  If you find you can't do those things when a question frustrates you (and that frustration is valid many times), then it would be best to just not respond.  

I know your question to me was joking, but try and remember that there are many more people reading this than post to it, and imagine how you might feel as a scared newbie with questions.  If someone thinks they might get ridiculed, they might never post to get the support and great info you all give here.  Above all, MedHelp is a medical support and info site, and we can't forget that.

Emily

[copyman]

Like I posted before asking MH to perhaps remove one small advertisement and replace with a list of how HCV is transmitted.

This most likely would help people before asking these strange questions.

I think this also would work towards making  "MedHelp a safe and supportive site for everyone"

Just my opinion

[spectda]

I don't know if you are serious or not. I am sure none of us want you to feel uncomfortable on the forum if you really need our help. Sometimes we use humor to lighten our lives and interactions because we are dealing with a potentially life ending disease.
Welcome,
-Dave

[alagirl]

Come on Emily, I like vampires.  And just because we're having a little fun with it doesn't mean we aren't offering support.  The question has been answered and we have asked for follow-up info and we're waiting for that.

[spectda]

Hi Deb-
I think your right, we don't have to worry about fido. I am going to take the dogs out for a walk before I get into more trouble.

[curiouslady1]

Actually, I have found this to be quite helpful since I have narrowed my search for the original cause of transmission to my time in the Pacific Islands with an emigration history from SE Asia etc. or a brief sojourn in SF.  Although my geno is common in North Americans, I recall losing two fellow employees (very straight people and young) to liver cancer and end stage (one was Afro-American and the other Filipino).  The customs of the place at that time (in mid 70's) would have created a welcoming enviroment for the Hepatitis virus.  I think Pacific islanders are more prone to geno 2 and 3 if I am not mistaken and the islands more prone to HepB but dirty surgical instruments, blood draws with non sterile needles combined with the tropical climate and many visitors from foreign lands, tropical animals etc. could have provided the source for my infection.

[child24angel]

Who in the heck cooks blood?
Then drinks it?
Vampires don't even do that
Just curious

[curiouslady1]

It is animal blood, not human and it is actually quite nourishing.  The dish tastes a bit like a chicken liver or calves liver dish that is spiced up.  When served over rice with some leafy veggies, it is awesome.  However, the preparation must be very careful as we are talking pigs intestines and organs as well as the blood.  Obviously, you only want someone who knows what they are doing to clean the animal parts.  As well, we are talking about something that is slow cooked for a couple hours or more.  

[orphanedhawk]

Not intending to, I had blood sauce with suckling pig at a Batak party (Sumatra Indonesia) .
They also eat dog, claiming black dog is best.

Seriously oooccc, why drink blood when you can drink coffee?

[curiouslady1]

Here is a note from a web site regarding Dinuguan: (you have to cook it longer if it is fresh pig)

"Dinuguan or pork blood stew is a Filipino, savory stew of blood and meat simmered in a rich, spicy gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili’s, and vinegar. The term Dinuguan come from the word dugo which means blood. It is similar to a Singapore dish, pig’s organ soup. The only difference is it does not have vegetables in it. For western cultures this dish is considered as unusual or maybe an alarming dish even though it is similar to European-style blood sausage or British black pudding, but in a saucy, stew form.

This dish is so popular in the Philippines that you will find it at just about any occasion, from simple family gatherings to weddings. For my kababayan who just recently moved here to the U.S., especially if you don’t live in the major cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City, you can still find edible pork blood at just about any International grocery store in the frozen section. One of the most popular brands here is Orientex. They have beef blood also. Ok, so enough talking and let’s get down to the recipe.



Ingredients:

1½ Lbs. of Pork belly (pork butt is fine)

10 oz. of Edible pork blood (Orientex)

2 Cups of Chicken stock (water is fine)

1 Cup of Vinegar (Datu-puti)

3 Tbs. Fish Sauce (Rufina)

4 Cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

1 Medium onion sliced thinly

1 Bay leaf (Laurel leaf)

4 Pcs. Finger peppers

½ Tbs. Ground black pepper

1 Tsp. Msg (Aji-no-Moto)

½ Tbs. Kosher salt

Oil for sauteing

Directions:

Prepare pork blood by straining it and separating the blood that is in a jelly form in a separate bowl. Next add ¼ cup of water and break up the jellied blood with your hands and set aside. Slice pork into small bite sized pieces and set aside.

Using a casserole dish, heat 1 Tbs. of corn oil, add the pork, and spread it evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover and let it cook on medium low heat for three minutes without stirring it. Remove cover, stir the pork, and drain the liquid accumulated. Add garlic and saute for one minute, then add the onions, stir, and cover. Let it cook for another minute. Next add fish sauce and bay leaf and saute for 3 minutes. Then add ½ cup of vinegar, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt and let it simmer for five minutes. Add the jelly formed pork blood first, stir for about a minute, then add the rest of the pork blood and the finger peppers.

Continue to stir for about two minutes, cover, and let simmer for another five minutes. Add another ½ cup of vinegar. Again cover and let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust the taste by adding salt & pepper if needed. That’s it, you’re done. Serve with white rice, or Puto. Enjoy!

[screaming48]

ohhh ick!

[curiouslady1]

Most Americans have to try it first and then find out what is in it later on in order to enjoy it unless you're an anthropologist like me.