Yes the CDC's continuing stance is that for monomgamous, heterosexual couples that condoms are essentially unnecessary regarding risk of HCV transmission.

After this push for the baby boomers, the gay men's community specifically will be the next population greatly affected by HCV. At my HIV/ID clinic, there are 20% with coinfection like me according to staff. I've been saying for a while that there will continue to be many more acute HCV cases like mine were with the HIV population as most of us already get routine testing a few times annually where liver enzymes are drawn due to HIV med toxicity.

I am so happy to see where HCV tx is quickly going...although certainly not quickly enough for our friends afflicted around the globe.

Peace to all. Disease do not discriminate.

This is a chart listing the risks per activity. Hep C is only in the "unknown" category..... don't shoot me.....

http://www.sfcityclinic.org/stdbasics/stdchart.asp

Ganja - comparing that list to a stat about monogamous heterosexual couples is apples and oranges IMO. Casual sex has risks that monogamous sex does not.

I also think an asterick is needed by every HCV on that chart that reads: *If there are open wounds that might allow for blood to be shared.

Again, just my opin, but HCV IS blood-born!

IDK about apples and oranges RASS but everyone is not in a monogamous relationship... I agree there should be an asterisk as you said. Just sharing info....

Lol. Where's the rest of that list?

But seriously that chart is a buzzkill if I've ever seen one. Just sayin.'

Go ahead and shoot me.

Ganja - I sincerely hope my comment did not come across as judgmental. It was not meant as such. "Different"puts no value on either, apples or oranges! :-)

Ernie - you mean there's more? Yeah that IS a buzzzkill.... makes me never want to have sex again! one should be more concerned about protection against other diseases.... ignorance is bliss... I guess.

RASS - no judgement taken... sex when there's blood present happens all the time... when I was in a relationship (before I was dx) the time of the month wasn't really a concern.... I agree hep c is not a STD... just sayin

There I go AGAIN... TMI

Well hate to ask for TMI Shadow but how many are we talking? I mean what's the n?

;-)

Love your avie u cool chick you.

For scientific porpoises only of course. ;-)

No don't answer that (yeah right).


OMG!!! Are you and Kramer twins btw? I just recognized the uncanny resemblance.

One of my pet peeves is that we continue to break risk down my by sexual orientation and not sex acts. Men who have sex with men are at greater risk because they are having anal intercourse. Should it just be that people who have unprotected anal intercourse are at greater risk? What does sexual orientation have to do with anything?

(Stepping off soap box)

Not much really. Diseases don't discriminate. Not all men who have sex with men (known as MSMs in the health field btw as many don't identify as "gay"), including gay men, don't have anal intercourse. Many heterosexuals do have anal intercourse as many of you know and to take an issue like HIV or AIDS, the great majority afflicted are heterosexuals in Africa.

Oh I could add a ton of other inconsistencies and illogical bullsh!t such as the initial few lesbians that contracted HIV at the beginning of this epidemic when zealots used to say it was God's punishment towards homosexuals. Were lesbians then God's chosen? maybe. Anyway, my paternal grandfather said that to me once as a teenager. He knew nothing of what he was speaking about of course but I've heard such ignorant crap throughout my life. We also cause hurricanes like Katrina and 9/11 too in case you missed that in the national news. Or I could also bring up that most gays and lesbians do not milestone children and that heterosexual child perpetrators are several times more common just due to sheer numbers, etc., but why bring up truths like this? It has no relevance here and is just be on my own soap box so I'll refrain.

Thanks Milman that is so true; it's not sexual orientation, it's sexual activity.
I held back on that one but it has been irking me.

Edit - molest not milestone and I'd not is.

Some day I hope to create the perfect auto-correct but until then just try to read through it.

Truth is as someone pointed out above, HCV is a blood-borne virus but can be transmitted sexually although it is a very low risk for those few monogamous couples regardless of sexual orientation. I saw some article online a while back though that was beginning to shift the paradigm for MSMs in classifying HCV as an STD. But leave it to most MSMs to do a lot of things first.

Yes stuff that we have just had to listen to for so long Kramer. Ignorant, judgmental bullsh!t. It gets sofa king old. It almost makes me wish I wasn't born gay. NOT!!! It's been a great life experience and I wouldn't change it for anything. Besides I've had way too much fun. I'd hate to dishonor God anyway and not be exactly who I was created to be. God makes no mistakes.