TOPIC:

James-Freeman-facebook wrote: Being a pragmatist what we want is cessation of disease progression and symptoms. The evidence to date suggests we do get that, however it's been known since 2004 that you can still find traces of HCV at SVR. That's the reason it gets called SVR rather than cure,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15140984

For practical purposes SVR is cure - at least for Interferon because we have long term follow up showing SVR is durable and the virus does not come back.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1413867010700702
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/782532

I spotted this in another thread here on the forum.

Does this mean there's a risk of transmitting the virus to others post SVR12 (+) until there is a way to eliminate these traces through future medical advances?

If I am lucky enough to clear this time around I understand that I should be able to move on with my life and that, for all intents and purposes, the virus is gone and I can start to regain my health.

I certainly won't be offering my razor and toothbrush around to share with everyone, but it does make me sad to think that every time I get a cut or something I could be putting others at risk. The psychological burden of that is really difficult for me to handle.

Also, what about sexual transmission in this case? Is there any cause for concern that the trace RNA could infect my long-term partner? Does this mean we'll have to use a condom indefinitely (for example, risk from microscopic cuts or periods)?

Is there any way one can be tested for trace RNA after achieving SVR? How long do they hang around for? The research papers seem to give conflicting results


More articles:
www.jci.org/articles/view/73104
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21040725
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608821/

Hi Peach,

That's a very good question.
The "traces of HCV" after SVR made someone working in the medical system tell me that I will never get rid of HCV, no matter what treatment I will take (with interferon or without it)...

I am interested as well in finding out the answers to your question.

Cheers
RHF

With an HCV viral load, ie pre treatment, sexual transmission with straight sex is extremely unlikely to cause infection. Anal sex is slightly more risky as blood blood contact can occur. Vaginas, penises and mouths have a relatively thick layer of cells that make blood blood contact rare and damage to the defences of both partners needs to be present at the same time.

At SVR there is zero chance of causing infection.

Hi Peach
I almost certainly contracted HCV in 1975(I got Hep B then) but wasn't diagnosed until 2004.
My partner at the time never got Hep B.
My husband does not have HCV, nor do our children (born in 1990 and 1993)
We unknowingly took risks.
We used the same nail clippers very regularly

rohcvfighter wrote: Hi Peach,

That's a very good question.
The "traces of HCV" after SVR made someone working in the medical system tell me that I will never get rid of HCV, no matter what treatment I will take (with interferon or without it)...

I am interested as well in finding out the answers to your question.

Cheers
RHF

Sounds really positive; did they explain how they arrived at this conclusion? Did they means the antibodies?


Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I was getting such opinions from medical staff NOT being specialized in liver diseases.
However, they looked at me like I was a poor and naive person, so any explanation would have been too much for my non-educated brain in medical sciences..... But, in my naivity I continue to hope that the generics killed already the HCV bastards .

P.s. please let's not start a debate about such questionable remarks / advices originating from certain medical staff.... I am pretty sure many of us would have so much to tell

I fathered two daughters even with a vl of 1.9 million. My wife is hcv free. With svr12, I am sure the chances of spreading=zero

Thank you Dr Freeman for your reply in this topic
I asked this question myself of my public hospitals specialist and my treatment GP when I reached SVR12
I have been assured there is zero way a non active, undetected virus can be transmitted, as there's nothing to transmit; this is what I was told.
I have two children and no vertical transmission ever occurred.
I too have shared nail clippers etc as others here mention and nobody else has contracted hcv in my immediate family, and neither do I have it either now Thankyou to the generic medicines.
Sure, there will be a marker to say we once had contact with the virus but it's gone. (I am immunised for HepB and a marker shows that tells the doctor I have been immunised maybe HepC will just look like that now, seems logical)

Anyway That's my Drs explanation as well as I can relay it and it is just what dr J said here earlier
So don't worry it will be fine.
Love from Ariel

James-Freeman-facebook wrote: At SVR there is zero chance of causing infection.

Thanks for clearing this up for me Dr Freeman, it's music to my ears!


And thanks everyone for your comforting replies. Sorry for being a worry wart, I've been in a state of extreme anxiety lately at 8 weeks EOT and seem to be getting worked up about things,.. perhaps not thinking clearly? Just wanting to cover all my bases.

Anyway, onwards and upwards!