Hep C Discussion Forum

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Chatbox
Please log in to join the chat!
Post Info TOPIC: Hep C virus dried on inanimate surfaces can remain infectious for up to six weeks, new study shows


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 77
Date:
RE: Hep C virus dried on inanimate surfaces can remain infectious for up to six weeks, new study shows
Permalink  
 


Tough little sucker, that virus.  No wonder it is hell to get rid of it.  The C virus is no paper tiger - all those who fight the fight have to work really hard and stay alert to contain and not spread it, let alone eradicate it.  This is useful information to protect those we love and others we come in contact with.  Thanks Jill.



__________________

1a, 35+ years; liver cancer survivor 7-2012 surgery; triple therapy 12-2012 (Interferon, riba, victrelis) - end 48-week treatment Nov. 29, 2013 - post tx 24 weeks undetected - SVR.



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 256
Date:
Permalink  
 

really good information to know, dispels many of the myths about how we contracted the Virus and important reminder, thank's again this forum is a life saver

Bill emma and raven



__________________

Geno type 1  rib and peg September 2012 , 5 weeks tripple and viral down to < 15 und april Aug 25 finished stay at peg 3 rib and eprex + blood transfussion finished treatment Aug 25 2013



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 513
Date:
Permalink  
 

Does zapping tooth brush in mirco wave kill the virus? I zap kitchen sponge every day and anyones  tooth brush if I find it out of holder. I wipe out micro after any/all use. I store my brush seprate from sons.



-- Edited by Michaele on Sunday 12th of January 2014 01:06:35 PM

__________________
MDodrow


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 618
Date:
Permalink  
 

Well holy moly...that thought never crossed my mind at all! But what a great idea as it makes total sense. Especially with the treatment causing mouth sores and dental problems. Of course you could reinfect yourself. I bet some really do. This should be doctor recommended.



__________________
  1. Gracie

1A. Previously treated non responder Rebetron in 2000 And Incevik in 2014 with a breakthrough at week 12. Fibroscan 15.5. VL 6,000,000. Finished 24 weeks harvoni on Dec. 19, 2015. SVR. Latest Fibroscan 8.8.



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 230
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hey Matt, that's a great reminder!

I'm going to toss mine right now and use that bleach on my clippers.

__________________

Geno 1A, since 1981. SOT 1/2013   TX stopped 11/2013 in week 45/48 due to Myositis & Interstitial Lung Disease. Completed 94% of Peg-Inter dbl TX, UND since week 4.  SVR 4/2014!  Still SVR after 4+ yrs!

"Day by day, step by step, breath by breath"

Tig


Admin

Status: Offline
Posts: 9268
Date:
Permalink  
 

I think it's a good idea to replace your toothbrushes regularly anyway, but especially for us. After I reached UND, I replaced all of mine. There are sanitizing solutions that can be used to disinfect these items post use too. Things like your nail clippers, scissors, etc., can be soaked in the 1:10 bleach solution as previously discussed. Those items can be left in those solutions in between use as well. Like Tim, my household has always had separate grooming items and everyone knew to leave mine alone. I always kept mine in a separate location too. It's the safe and right thing to do.



__________________

Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 157
Date:
Permalink  
 

wow, I would have never thought about the possibility of re-infecting myself. Maybe need to pay a little more attention.



__________________
John


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 940
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hi Matt,

This was something that I was concerned about during treatment, to the point of buying a quantity of disposable toothbrushes on ebay.  However, I soon  realized that unless I used a toothbrush no more than one time, I couldn't be 100% certain.  As a consequence, I adopted a more relaxed view, and figured that changing brushes weekly would still be an improvement in re-infection avoidance.      I  cleaned my nail clippers and hair combs/brushes periodically with a disinfectant(don't recall the product).    My wife uses separate  personal care utensils, so no worry there.



__________________

"hrsetrdr"=Tim

Treatment halted on Aug.8,2012 due to vision problem.  6 month post tx labs

Aug.2013 SVR

Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious.
- Unknown

 

 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1781
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hey all

This bring up the thought about when we should dispose of our tooth brush and other clippers devices.

This might be important during treatment, for example would you re-use your tooth brush after you reach UND with many more weeks of treatment to go?

How often and when should we sterile our clippers and will that work on tooth brushes?

Also is there any other items that we could get re-infected from around our house or work?

Any thoughts

matt



__________________

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

61 year old Geno type A1, F4 Cirrhotic, started 24 weeks on Harvoni 12-17-14 ,EOT-5 week = UND, 8-31-15 =UND , SVR-24 Baby YES! 



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 230
Date:
Permalink  
 

I'll have to check out my bleach label! 



__________________

Geno 1A, since 1981. SOT 1/2013   TX stopped 11/2013 in week 45/48 due to Myositis & Interstitial Lung Disease. Completed 94% of Peg-Inter dbl TX, UND since week 4.  SVR 4/2014!  Still SVR after 4+ yrs!

"Day by day, step by step, breath by breath"

Tig


Admin

Status: Offline
Posts: 9268
Date:
Permalink  
 

DB,

The articles and the MSDS listed 5.25% as the highest consumer strength available. You can change the strength with your own ratio adjustments. However there comes a point where stronger doesn't necessarily mean more effective when sanitation is concerned. 



__________________

Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 230
Date:
Permalink  
 

Tig56 wrote:

DB, 

It's one part bleach to ten parts water. From what I've read so far is that bleach is bleach! Some of it comes pure and some comes pre diluted. With those various dilution rates comes different names (marketing). The MSDS for Chlorox Germicidal bleach says it's 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. If it comes in higher percentages, it may be difficult for typical consumers to purchase.


Thanks for the correct ratio. 

Would 5.25% be high enough?  I wonder what they used?



__________________

Geno 1A, since 1981. SOT 1/2013   TX stopped 11/2013 in week 45/48 due to Myositis & Interstitial Lung Disease. Completed 94% of Peg-Inter dbl TX, UND since week 4.  SVR 4/2014!  Still SVR after 4+ yrs!

"Day by day, step by step, breath by breath"

Tig


Admin

Status: Offline
Posts: 9268
Date:
Permalink  
 

DB, 

It's one part bleach to ten parts water. From what I've read so far is that bleach is bleach! Some of it comes pure and some comes pre diluted. With those various dilution rates comes different names (marketing). The MSDS for Chlorox Germicidal bleach says it's 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. If it comes in higher percentages, it may be difficult for typical consumers to purchase.



__________________

Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 



Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 230
Date:
Permalink  
 

I have asked this question and no one knew the answer.

This is good information to know.  It really makes you think about getting your nails done or sharing nail clippers, ooohh!

Having been in the hospital recently I can see how this can happen.

 

The article says: "..commercially available antiseptics were highly effective against the HCV-contaminated blood spots. One minute of exposure to bleach (diluted to a ratio of 1:10) was 100% effective.."

 

Is the commercial bleach different from the consumer bleach sold in most stores? I'd like to know so I can properly clean my grooming items that Tig pointed out.

Is that 1 part water to 10 parts bleach, or the other way around?

 



__________________

Geno 1A, since 1981. SOT 1/2013   TX stopped 11/2013 in week 45/48 due to Myositis & Interstitial Lung Disease. Completed 94% of Peg-Inter dbl TX, UND since week 4.  SVR 4/2014!  Still SVR after 4+ yrs!

"Day by day, step by step, breath by breath"

Tig


Admin

Status: Offline
Posts: 9268
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks Jill, that information really confirmed what most of us were aware of but I had no idea that the virus was so resistant on hard surfaces for the lengths of time listed! Even the application of sanitizing agents seems to only reduce the infectivity of the virus if they aren't used exactly as directed. That goes to show us all how important proper treatment of our grooming items like nail clippers, razors, toothbrushes, etc. are. Its information like this that really opens the gates of wonder for me. I worked in the medical field for many years in the 70's and 80's, I saw breaks in sterility, either from poor practices or by needle stick injuries. People just weren't as cautious of these risks at the time. I believe these diseases had a profound impact on medical care as we know it. Certainly they changed how the world handles bio hazardous material. I'd like to know what the rates of HBV, HCV and HIV infection are now as a result of hospital acquired contamination during that time frame. I believe it would open a lot of eyes.



__________________

Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 5629
Date:
Permalink  
 

`Dried spots of blood contaminated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can remain infectious for up to six weeks at normal room temperatures, research published in the online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases shows.  Commercially available antiseptics reduced the infectivity of the blood spots, but only when used at recommended concentrations.`

`The investigators believe their findings could explain hospital-acquired HCV infections in individuals who have not undergone surgery or received blood products, and also the ongoing HCV epidemic among injecting drug users.`

Full article...

 http://www.aidsmap.com/Hepatitis-C-virus-dried-on-inanimate-surfaces-can-remain-infectious-for-up-to-six-weeks/page/2808006/



__________________

Jill 

(71 yo, lives in UK)

Was Gen 3a, 

24wks Peg Ifn/Riba, Sep 2010 - Mch 2011

UND @ Wk.4, UND @ EOT, 

SVR Nov 2011 --> Still UND @ EOT + 4 yrs.

 

 

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Legal Disclaimer:

THIS FORUM, IT'S OWNERS, ADMINISTRATORS, MODERATORS AND MEMBERS DO NOT AT ANY TIME GIVE MEDICAL ADVICE AND IN ALL CASES REFER ANYONE HERE TO SEEK APPROPRIATE MEDICAL ADVICE FROM THEIR DOCTOR.