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Author Topic: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction  (Read 18019 times)

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Offline LACYJEN1999

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« on: December 09, 2014, 01:59:21 am »
I am on my 21st day of Harvoni.  There are a few blogs on Facebook.  One person being treated with Harvoni says,  you should buy a new toothbrush every week.  This is to avoid reinfecting one self.  This seems to me like a million to one shot.  Please comment

Offline Bucky

  • Member
  • Posts: 341
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2014, 07:59:12 am »
I am on my 21st day of Harvoni.  There are a few blogs on Facebook.  One person being treated with Harvoni says,  you should buy a new toothbrush every week.  This is to avoid reinfecting one self.  This seems to me like a million to one shot.  Please comment

Hello Lacyjen,
Changing them along with razors have been debated on several forums that I am a member of. I replaced mine with disposable toothbrushes and razors. The are relatively cheap compared to the slight chance and price of reinfecting yourself and retreating.
Bucky
I HAVE SLAYED THE DRAGON.....CURED SVR24!

Offline BattleTheBeast

  • Member
  • Posts: 817
  • Female, 57 - SVR12 as of 7/23/15!!
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2014, 08:03:24 am »
Hello Lacyjen,
Changing them along with razors have been debated on several forums that I am a member of. I replaced mine with disposable toothbrushes and razors. The are relatively cheap compared to the slight chance and price of reinfecting yourself and retreating.
Bucky

I have been using disposable as well since week 4. It's not going to hurt to change out my razor and toothbrush and honestly it's worth that tiny little percentage to do it. You can also go to more extremes as others have done; I am not sure anything is published on this but would be interested if it was.

Mel
~Mel~
Hep C, Type 1, 10/11  viral load 8,238,340, AST-60, ALT-57 Bili .6  Stage 4 cirrhosis,
Week 4 VL <15 AST 20 - ALT 27 Bili .9
Week 9 - switched to Harvoni VL UD!! AST 20 ALT 19

EOT date is 4/30/2015,
SVR 12 is 7/23/15 ACHIEVED!!! 
and SVR 24 ACHIEVED!!

Offline petra

  • Member
  • Posts: 47
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2014, 08:29:28 am »
Hi, week 8 of 12 here. Bought the disposable toothbrushes and razors yesterday... re-infection seems like a long shot but so did "infection".
User Name: petra
Gender: female
Height: 5' 7" Weight: 118
Diagnosed: June 2014
Infected: unsure of when
geno type: 2
Biopsy Score:no fibro scan or biopsy
Pre treatment: 3.5 million vl, other blood work normal
TX start date: October 17, 2014
Treatment Protocol: 12 weeks of 400mg of Sovaldi and 800 mg of Ribavirin per day
Side Effects: fatigue, itchiness.

Viral load:
3.5 million at start of treatment
18 at 4 weeks
undetected at 6, 8, and 12 weeks.
SVR at 12 weeks after treatment

Offline BattleTheBeast

  • Member
  • Posts: 817
  • Female, 57 - SVR12 as of 7/23/15!!
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2014, 08:32:33 am »
Hi, week 8 of 12 here. Bought the disposable toothbrushes and razors yesterday... re-infection seems like a long shot but so did "infection".

Amen Petra!
~Mel~
Hep C, Type 1, 10/11  viral load 8,238,340, AST-60, ALT-57 Bili .6  Stage 4 cirrhosis,
Week 4 VL <15 AST 20 - ALT 27 Bili .9
Week 9 - switched to Harvoni VL UD!! AST 20 ALT 19

EOT date is 4/30/2015,
SVR 12 is 7/23/15 ACHIEVED!!! 
and SVR 24 ACHIEVED!!

Offline gea

  • Member
  • Posts: 28
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2014, 06:07:03 pm »
I agree!  Why chance it?  I  am on my way to buy disposable toothbrushes and razors!   I also want my family, that have all tested negative in the past, to be retested after week four, I don't think that's extreme either
Diagnosed 06-2013
1-A
Started Harvoni for 12 wks 11-17-14
AST 26  ALT 34

Offline Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 999
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2014, 06:10:51 pm »
A small, miniscule chance is still a chance. I wasn't willing to play roullette with the pernicious little bastard known as HCV.

Best wishes, Mike
Genotype 1a
Treated 2001 with PEG and RIBV
Treated in 2014 SOL+PEG+RIBV
Cured July 2014

Offline sohopeful

  • Member
  • Posts: 10
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2014, 08:22:21 pm »
Hello All,
 
I also bought disposable razors and toothbrushes.  Why take a chance.  But we can go further with this, but how far is too far?  What about toenail & fingernail clippers?  What about tweezers, & nose hair clippers?  I've even read that the steel posts on the back of earrings should be wiped down with bleach to kill any virus.  Also Cavicide Used in dentists offices) will kill hvc.   Is it really necessary to do all these things?  I will bleach my tweezers, clippers, that's no big deal.  But to wash all the backs of my earrings, well that will be a timeconsuming job for sure!  Any thoughts?

Offline badbradley

  • Member
  • Posts: 294
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2014, 08:46:22 pm »
Hi sohopeful,
      I believe the virus can live on surfaces for up to 42 days. You could just ditch the earrings for 6 wks. Then soak them in rubbing alcohol for awhile just because.
                                                                          Brad
Geno 1a
Sov/Oly 12wks - relapse
Har/Riba 12wks
Alt-16  Ast-17 SVR - 12
Alt-15  Ast-14 SVR - 24

Offline LACYJEN1999

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2014, 09:24:05 pm »
HCV is a blood to blood virus the likelihood of reinfected from your own toothbrush is infinitesimal

I don't always practice what I preach.  I bought an new toothbrush

Offline UndetectableC

  • Member
  • Posts: 18
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2014, 09:49:19 pm »
A small, miniscule chance is still a chance. I wasn't willing to play roullette with the pernicious little bastard known as HCV.

Best wishes, Mike

I'm changing my toothbrush every week. Also tossed my waterpic and bought new nail clippers. I'm not taking any chances.

However, my husband has mistakenly used my toothbrush in the past and does not have HCV after our 20 years together. It's a pretty miniscule chance.

Best of luck to you! Speedy Treatments to all!

Offline Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 999
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2014, 09:58:53 pm »
A couple questions:

Can Hep-C be contracted by using a toothbrush or razor infected with the virus?

Does the Hep-C virus recognize the body (host) it has infected? Or is the Hep-C virus  an indiscriminate opportunist?

Would you use a toothbrush, razor or nailclippers from a person known to have an active Hep-C infection?

If a person could avoid a Hep-C infection by purchasing a few items for less than $10, would that be money well spent?

Mike
Genotype 1a
Treated 2001 with PEG and RIBV
Treated in 2014 SOL+PEG+RIBV
Cured July 2014

Offline Rubye

  • Member
  • Posts: 130
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2014, 02:40:55 am »
The only problem with this is now I know I'm going to want to keep changing my toothbrush every week or two for forever because I got to thinking about all the bugs and bacteria that are on my brush and I've decided it's a good idea to not hang onto the same toothbrush for a month regardless.

Also the likelihood of reinfection would depend on how much your gums bleed. If you're young with healthy gums you probably don't need to be concerned so much as someone like myself who has terrible gums that bleed easily. But again, why take chances?

Offline BattleTheBeast

  • Member
  • Posts: 817
  • Female, 57 - SVR12 as of 7/23/15!!
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2014, 04:33:32 am »
The only problem with this is now I know I'm going to want to keep changing my toothbrush every week or two for forever because I got to thinking about all the bugs and bacteria that are on my brush and I've decided it's a good idea to not hang onto the same toothbrush for a month regardless.

Also the likelihood of reinfection would depend on how much your gums bleed. If you're young with healthy gums you probably don't need to be concerned so much as someone like myself who has terrible gums that bleed easily. But again, why take chances?

Rubye,

I agree, it makes me want to go out and buy a sterilizer to use at home! I wouldn't wish this on anyone :(

Mel~
~Mel~
Hep C, Type 1, 10/11  viral load 8,238,340, AST-60, ALT-57 Bili .6  Stage 4 cirrhosis,
Week 4 VL <15 AST 20 - ALT 27 Bili .9
Week 9 - switched to Harvoni VL UD!! AST 20 ALT 19

EOT date is 4/30/2015,
SVR 12 is 7/23/15 ACHIEVED!!! 
and SVR 24 ACHIEVED!!

Offline ma snart

  • Member
  • Posts: 65
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2014, 01:07:10 pm »
I have also over the years mistakenly used tooth brushes, combs, nail clippers, forks, you name it, but with Helen on Harvoni now I went to get checked (would not want to re-infect her) and came back negative, but we are not taking any chances on nickel and dime items, out they go every week or so.
I truly believe it is very very hard to get infected with casual contact. It has to be blood to blood transmission.
Snart
Helen 54 yr old female
Geno 1B since 84 from transfusion
started Harvoni on 11-22-14 with 8.5 million viral
After 8 days 933 viral and normal AST and ALT
Week 10 viral load  UNDETECTED
Week 17    detected 19
Week 18    detected 21
Week 20    UNDETECTED   Doctor did prescribe Ribavirin, but have not taken it yet as we are thinking that weeks 17,18 had to have been mishandled.
All other test have shown normal levels.
Week 21 results  on Tuesday 4-21
Week 4 post Harvoni 24 week plan UNDETECTED!!

Offline sunrise

  • Member
  • Posts: 463
Re: Re-infection w hcv, Fact or Fiction
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2014, 11:11:58 pm »
Message I got from Gilead nurse in sovaldi class. Do not take any chances. Donot reuse razors from before or during treatment.  Donot reuse toothbrushes fom before or during treatment.  Bleach steel implements. I also boil them or just replace. Is any percentage of reinfecting yourself again worth it ? HECK NO!!!

 


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