Infected? What do you think?

[kville92]

I had an incident in a public bathroom at work (I work at a university) while changing a tampon. I had my old tampon and went to throw it away in the special feminine-hygiene trashcan, which is a small box on the wall. As I went to throw the old tampon away, I felt my hand touch either the trash can or the trash bag or both. I then used my hand to insert a new tampon. I think any touching of the trash bag/trash can was minor, but I understand that it only takes microscopic amounts of Hep-C blood to infect a person.

I'm worried because 1) it was a container for menstrual products, so blood is an obvious risk, 2) sometimes I have vaginal dryness that causes pain when I remove tampons, so I wonder if I had any abrasions in my vagina? Also, there is the mucus membrane of the genitalia. How likely is it that individuals contract Hep C through mucous membranes?

I wish I could remember the event. I don't remember which parts of my hand touched the container/trash bag, and then which parts touched the tampon. The event was about three weeks ago and I intend to try to get a PCR test today.

[beto]

I encourage you to go online and read about Hep-C infection and how it is transmitted (or right here on this Web Magazine).  Not sure I am following your description...however, the virus is blood to blood transmitted.  The common ways to transmit infection are through blood transfusions, needle sticks or sharing needles with an infected person and transplants from tissues of an infected person.

Rarer ways are; through razor blades or toothbrushes (not well documented) sharing with infected persons where the skin is breached as well as intercourse when there are open sores or breached tissue .  Any blood to blood scenario.  However, the incidence is rare.


Your situation does not apply, at least how I understood it.  perhaps I am missing something.  I am aware that there is not good and widespread educational material on the subject. 

[beto]

contact, such as:
•Sharing needles and other equipment (paraphernalia) used to inject drugs. Injection drug users (IDUs) who share needles, syringes, and paraphernalia associated with it are at the highest risk of HCV.
•Blood transfusions and organ transplants before July 1992. Widespread screening of the blood supply in the United States began in 1992.
•Sexual contact with someone who has HCV. The risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C through unprotected sexual intercourse is low-but it is still possible. HCV sexual transmission risk is higher among those who are HIV-positive and in men who have sex with men (MSM). Sex with multiple partners, having a sexually transmitted disease, and rough sex may increase the risk of transmitting HCV sexually.
•Having an HCV-positive mother. Women who are infected with hepatitis C have a 6 percent chance of passing the virus along to their babies during pregnancy or delivery. The risk increases if the woman has HIV, hepatitis B or a high HCV viral load (the amount of HCV in a measurement of blood). The HCV transmission risk is doubled or tripled in women with HIV. It is unlikely that HCV can be transmitted through breast-feeding or breast milk.

Three out of four people with chronic HCV were born from 1945 through 1965. Baby boomers are five times more likely to have hepatitis C than adults born in other years are. The CDC recommends that people born in those years get a one-time blood test for hepatitis C.

Risk Factors

You may be at risk for hepatitis C and should contact your health care provider for a blood test if you:
•Were born from 1945 through 1965, regardless of any other HCV-related risk factors
•Were notified that you received blood or an organ from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C
•Have ever injected illegal drugs, even if you experimented a few times many years ago
•Received a blood transfusion or solid-organ transplant before 1992
•Received a blood product for clotting problems before 1987
•Have HIV
•Have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis
•Have evidence of liver disease (e.g., persistently abnormal liver function tests)
•Have an HCV-positive mother
•Have been exposed to HCV through your occupation (Note: The risk to health workers of acquiring HCV following a needlestick injury is quite low, averaging 1.8 percent)

Other situations where the risk is uncertain, but you may be at risk for HCV if you:
•Have ever gotten a tattoo or piercing in a non-professional setting where equipment such as ink, inkwells or needles were used and potentially unsterilized
•Have had multiple sexual partners or sexually transmitted diseases
•Have ever inhaled cocaine or shared other non-injecting drugs

HCV is not transmitted by casual contact such as coughing, kissing, sneezing, or sharing food, beverages or utensils.

Last Revised: July 23, 2015

[kville92]

Hi Beto,

I am concerned that I had blood residue on my hand (from touching the menstrual-products trashcan/trash bag) and that I then touched my hand to my tampon applicator. The tampon applicator was then inserted into my body. It is possible that I had abrasions inside the vagina due to vaginal dryness when removing previous tampons, resulting in tearing. I am worried about dry (or wet) blood contamination of my tampon applicator, which then came in contact with vaginal mucous membranes or (potential) vaginal abrasions.

There's a few "maybes." Maybe the same part of my hand that touched the trash can also touched my new tampon applicator. Maybe I had vaginal abrasions prior to inserting the tampon. However, if all the "maybes" are "yes"es...

[beto]

Ahhh...I understand.  I'm a guy ,so...  Anyway I will let someone else chime in.  I...hope I did not come off as patronizing.  I would not be worried.  The chances of infection with that scenario would have to be very low if not infinitesimal.  But, again, let one of the moderators take that one.  You can get tested in about 6 months and in the very unlikely scenario you have an infection there are an arsenal of meds available.  I had it for 40 years and was cured in 12 weeks.  Good luck and don't worry...

[Lynn K]

The odds of transmission for a health care worker who experiences an accidental needle stick involving a patient with known hep c are about 1.8%

Nothing in life is without some risk however transmission of hep c requires hep c infected blood to enter the blood stream of an uninfected person.

There is no data  on the exposure you have described but by comparison with the risk of the needle stick described I believe I can say your odds are significantly much lower by comparison.

If you have concerns get tested.

If positive get treated and get cured either way you have nothing to worry about.

You may want to discuss with your health care professional your health concerns about the unlikely possibilities of contracting illnesses. This unnecessary worry may be your greatest health concern rather that your very small odds of catching a curable virus.

Best of luck to you