Concerned

[Concerned]

I have a question about transmission.  My employee got a small cut on her hand that was bleeding so without thinking I put some neosporin on my finger and put it on her cut.  I then washed my hands and used hand sanitizer.  I then looked at my finger to see if there was any open sores or anything else. I just had an almost healed tiny cut .  The scab had already fallen off with the pink skin remaining. It was probably 10 days old.  By my washing my hands and using sanitizer did I eliminate any risk?

[Lynn K]

Hepatitis c infected blood must enter the body through an open fresh wet weeping wound.

As far as relative risk if a health care worker should experience an accidental needle stick involving a patient with known hep c the risk of transmission is only about 1.8%

Do you know if your employee has hep c? Only about 4% of the US population has hep c with that number decreasing every day due to the approval over the last several years of very effective medicines that offer the promise of eridacating hepatitis c if everyone currently infected is able to obtain treatment.

As far as your specific risk you did not have an open wound a 10 day healed minor injury is not a wound the pink you see is new skin. Your risk is zero with or without the hand sanitizer.

She was likely at more risk from you for infection of her injury when you applied Neosporin with your own unwashed finger. Next time use gloves for the safety of your employee. Or just let them treat themselves.

[Concerned]

Thank you.  I don’t know if the employee has hepatitis c.  I will use gloves or have the person take care of it themselves.  If there is or was infected blood will washing hands in soap and water and then using sanitizer eliminate it?

[Lynn K]

Maybe as long as it did not enter the blood stream which was not possible in your case

[Concerned]

A couple hours later I was looking at my finger and I noticed there was some skin on the almost healed cut and I did try to pull it off first with a finger.  Didn’t want to come off then I tried with my teeth still did not come off.  I didn’t see any blood.  Stupid huh?  I just get really anxious about things like this.

[Lynn K]

Not a risk

Not an almost healed cut it was a healed cut it was healed as soon as the scab came off unless you had torn it off and it bleed again basically reinjuring it.

Have you considered speaking with your doctor about treatment for anxiety?

[Concerned]

Thank you so much for answering my questions.  For some reason this has made me really anxious and I think talking to my doctor about this might be a good idea.  Again thank you!

[Concerned]

I did not rip it open.  The extra skin would not come off.  Didn’t form a scab or .anything and I did not see any blood. It completely healed in a week or so after that and left no scar.  I am just overly nervous about all this.  Again thank you.  Just being able to talk about this has really helped.

[Lynn K]

 I don’t know if this will help with your anxiety but today hepatitis c  is now over 98% curable with the new medicines that have been approved over the last few years.  So if at some time in your life you ever learn you are infected with hepatitis C it is today for most easily cured so  nothing you really need to worry about.

[Concerned]

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.  Yes thank you for the info about curing hcv.  Quite impressive cure numbers.