Have you guys been immunized for Hepatitis A,B and C ? I got shots for all 3types. My uncle, living in Texas, found out that he has hepatitis C. The doctor told him that the treatment will cost $6000.00 US clams.

Holy molly batman !! I never realized treatment of common disease is so expensive in the US. <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

As far as I know, there isn't a vaccine for Hep C, but Hep A and Hep B vaccines do exist.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/index.htm

Unless you guys up there in Canada have access to stuff we can't get here in the States. (Which wouldn't surprise me!) <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Hopefully one of the medics can weigh in here...

Pay close attention to your booster dates on a/b...

hep b:
- First Dose: Any time
- Second Dose: 1 to 2 months after the first dose
- Third Dose: 4 to 6 months after the first dose

hep a:
2 doses about six months apart...

at the airport clinic I see people who miss their shot and have to start entire series all over again. Also for a/b get something that is called twinrex vaccine. It is hep a/b combined so you get sticked 3 times instead of 5.

And there is no vaccine for hep c.

We have no Vaccine for hep C. Trust me. A member of my family has it, and last I looked they didn't even know the vector, much less how to fight it.

I search the net and there is no vaccine for Hep C. there is treatment to prevent cancer but the virus remains in the body.

I'm pretty sure that the most common ways of contracting Hepatitis in the USA are IV drug use or unprotected sexual contact, neither of which are behaviors I currently indulge in. I understand that Healthcare workers are also at elevated risk due to potential contact with infected bodily fluids. Hopefully their training protects them to a large degree.

I like your optimism! [/color]

Unfortunately Hepatitis C while not common is also not rare amongst some of the older EMS/Fire providers. Pre HIV, gloves were not routinely used by many and a number of them have contracted Hepatitis C. Since latency and onset of clinical disease can be many years post infection, many went undetected until recently (5-10 years).

On the fortunate side, I would say most if not all providers are now accustom to Universal Precautions/Standard Precautions and take great care in exposure prevention.

Pete

I guess my mother (a physician) was a little ahead of her time, based on IzzyJG99's timetable ... before I went off to college in 1983, she made sure I was vaccinated against hepatitis B. I didn't figure out until well into freshman year why exactly she assumed my risk of getting Hep B would be so much higher in college!

After I read your post, I realized I forgot to do the 6 month booster after by A/B shot. Damn, gotta start all over again. I only got mine because of international travel.