the minimum amount of blood to be infected by Hepatitis C

[matthewmate]

Hello,

1. I have found some unclear infomation in internet. In some places i found that minimum blood is 0.1 ml (milliliter) and this is much more than for Hepatitis B transmission. In other is mentioned that this amount is 0.0004 ml what is comparable with Hepatitis B.

2. The second question is, if the blood during transmission must enter into bloodstream or infection can be taken by skin or oral?

3. Is it possible to get Hepatitis C during surgery?

Thanks,

[flyinlynn]

1. I am not entirely sure what you question is but I don’t believe that information about how much blood is required to be infectious is known. Not sure of what importance that data would have. I expect there would be infectious potential if even only one virus cell should enter the blood stream.

I am aware that for a medical worker  who experiences an accidental needlestick there is a very small chance of transmission about 1.8%. This would of course involved only a small amount of blood in this situation.

2. Hep c infected blood must enter the blood stream of an uninfected person. It is a blood born virus.

3. If the surgery was performed in a facility that is not using universal precautions there could be a risk. Certain medical equipment is difficult to sterilize like the equipment used for a colonoscopy for example. Also there have been incidents where drug addicted persons working in hospitals have stolen sedating medicines and have contaminated the sedating medicine in the process of that theft. However, infection from medical procedures fortunately is relatively rare. When these types of incidents come to light the medical facotlity will notify patients who may have been impacted and advise them to get tested.

[matthewmate]

Hello, thanks for your coments. Regards point no. 1 I found "The amount of blood required to transmit Hepatitis B is only 0.00004 ml, while a minimum of 0.1 ml is required for HIV transmission." Is the same info available for Hepatitis C?

[flyinlynn]

I really personally have no idea. Not sure what difference that would make in the grand scheme of things. That question seems to me to be a concern only to a research scientist with little importance to a lay person such as myself. Really what difference does it make?

If you have had a concerning blood to blood exposure wait about 12 weeks and have an antibody test. If the hep c antibody test result is not detected that is the important thing to know.