some questions

[lex1006]

hi i'm new to the forum my mother was diagnosed recently and they say that she has had it for over thirty years now. I have a few questions i know some of them may sound stupid but i don't know where else to get answers? first can it be spread through food meaning if she had a cut on her hand and didn't know and handled my food and i had a bleeding gum could it be tranmitted this way? also can you get it from dried blood? one last question how long after exposure would this show up in my blood if i had it too? thank you for all your help.

[MissyMouse]

lex,

First off no question is too stupid.  The scenarios that you describe are probably almost impossible when it comes to the transmission of Hep.  Look at it this way, do you know for a fact that every cook, in every eatery that you have been does not have the disease AND that they didn't cut themselves and bleed in your food?   Or how do you know that every hairdresser that you have ever been to is not infected with the virus and they never nipped their finger with the siccors and bled into your scalp?  As far as dried blood, it is my understanding that the virus can live up to 4 days outside of the body, but you would actually h ave to have to pick this dry blood up and smear it into an open wound on your own body. 

Transmission of the HCV virust is strictly a blood-to-blood transmission.  The only possible way to contract this disease is to have infected blood introduced DIRECTLY in to your blood stream through an open wound.  I have been  married more than once, and I have been married to my current spouse for 10 years, I have never given the virus to any of my spouses nor any of my family.  It's simply not that easy to pass on.

Please don't be "afraid" of contracting the virus from your mother.  She needs you.  This is a HORRIBLE disease to fight and too many fighting it have been shun or slighted by family and friends.  Yes,  take the precautions that you normally would when around anyone's blood, or when it comes to being sanitary (i.e., don't use other peoples razors, nail clippers, etc.).  Be aware that heppers will immediately sense when people are being overly cautious around them.

Mouse