hcv risk while withdrawing blood for test

[gmkumar]

While withdrawing blood for test, if nurse didn't changed gloves and touched vein immediate before withdrawing blood , any risk of blood borne infection?. nurse did cleaned skin with cotton but not before withdrawing blood, I saw nurse touching many things before touching skin.

[flyinlynn]

Hepatitis c infected blood must enter the blood stream of an uninfected person.

For perspective, even in the situation where a health care worker should experience a needle stick involving a patient with known hepatitis c infection the risk of transmission is only about 1.8% This would be having a needle that had been in the vein of a patient who has hep c and then the health care worker accidentally jabbing themself with that needle.

If you have concerns wait 12 weeks and have a Hepatitis c antibody test but your odds are basically zero

[gmkumar]

Hi Flyinlynn, thank you.  is HCV quickly deactivated when exposed to air?

[flyinlynn]

No.

“ The Hepatitis C virus can survive outside the body at room temperature, on environmental surfaces, for
up to 3 weeks
However, a site quoting the CDC says “According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
HCV can survive on environmental surfaces at room temperature for at least 16 hours but no longer
than four days.”
  • As reported in the June 15, 2010 edition of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, researchers from Germany confirmed that HCV survives longer in liquids than it does when dried on surfaces. They found that in a liquid environment, HCV was detectable for up to five months at lower temperatures.
• As published in a February 2010 edition of Virology Journal, Chinese researchers determined that HCV could survive in a liquid medium for two days at 98oF (body temperature),16 days at 77 oF and at least six weeks at 40oF (average refrigerator temperature).
• Presented in February 2010 at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses & Opportunistic Infections, American researchers found that under the right circumstances, HCV remained viable in a syringe for up to 63 days. Circumstances that increased HCV infectivity include syringes with detachable needles, lower temperature and larger volume syringes.”

[Gulbaz623]

My colleague was trying to get blood from vein of a hcv + patient. He tried to collect blood but he didn't pierce the vein i.e needle passed through only skin and no blood on it. Then my other colleague was accidentally pricked with that needle. So will he get infection?
Please reply

[gmkumar]

My opinion is if no visible blood then not possible. But let's wait for flyinlnn to reply, she has more knowledge regarding these kind of events. Meanwhile read her earlier comments.

[flyinlynn]

Hi Gulbaz

Quote from the US  CDC (Center for Didease Control)

“ Although sharps injuries have decreased in recent decades due to improved prevention measures, they continue to occur, placing health-care personnel at risk for several bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis C.  A recent analysis of several studies revealed an overall 0.2% risk for infection among those exposed to HCV-antibody-positive blood through needlestick or sharps injuries”

But assuming there was no blood on the needle that sounds like zero risk. Hepatitis C infected blood must enter the bloodstream of an uninfected person. No blood=no transmission.