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Can Hepatitis-C Be Contracted Through Contact Of Saliva On Skin?
Question: I work in a clinical setting. I'm just curious to know on the evidence / transmission risk of Hep C via saliva if splashed to our face or the infected person's saliva coming in contact with our conjunctiva. Also will the risk increase if the infected person's saliva is tainted with blood
Brief Answer:
Remote possibility.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome To HCM. I am Dr Anshul Varshney. I understand your concern.
Since you belong to medical field only I would talk to you in clear terms and won't talk in percentages and figures as if the chance is even 0.0001 % you would be still troubled.
The exposure has never been demonstrated through the contact with an infected person's saliva or even if saliva is contaminated with blood.
In fact the exposure is very common and I have never seen or have come to know any person contracting Hepatitis C through such contact.
So Practically speaking you are safe. Theoretically speaking the risk can't be ruled out!
This is the reason I am not taking about Abu figures as there are no known cases to have contracted Hepatitis C via this route.
Now listen what is important. Leave the figures and get your baseline line status of Liver function test (LFT) and Hepatitis C to rule out any evidence of Previous exposure and contraction of infection.
Get your LFT and HCV RNA test done after 6 weeks and if there is any derangement of LFT or HCV RNA found we would consider the infection and treatment would be instituted based on the levels and Anti Hbe status.
So, relax. Such transmissions are very very rare.
However you should be sure so get the investigations done.
If you have any further query, please ask me. Even if you want to talk about figures I can help you with that. But they are not of any use so I am not mentioning.
Good luck.
Remote possibility.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome To HCM. I am Dr Anshul Varshney. I understand your concern.
Since you belong to medical field only I would talk to you in clear terms and won't talk in percentages and figures as if the chance is even 0.0001 % you would be still troubled.
The exposure has never been demonstrated through the contact with an infected person's saliva or even if saliva is contaminated with blood.
In fact the exposure is very common and I have never seen or have come to know any person contracting Hepatitis C through such contact.
So Practically speaking you are safe. Theoretically speaking the risk can't be ruled out!
This is the reason I am not taking about Abu figures as there are no known cases to have contracted Hepatitis C via this route.
Now listen what is important. Leave the figures and get your baseline line status of Liver function test (LFT) and Hepatitis C to rule out any evidence of Previous exposure and contraction of infection.
Get your LFT and HCV RNA test done after 6 weeks and if there is any derangement of LFT or HCV RNA found we would consider the infection and treatment would be instituted based on the levels and Anti Hbe status.
So, relax. Such transmissions are very very rare.
However you should be sure so get the investigations done.
If you have any further query, please ask me. Even if you want to talk about figures I can help you with that. But they are not of any use so I am not mentioning.
Good luck.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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