Hepatitis
C post exposure prophylaxis
- Currently there is no
recommended post exposure prophylaxis for HCV.
- If significant exposure to
HCV has occurred, testing of the recipient for HCVAg or RNA and for anti
HCV should be carried out at 6 weeks and 3 months.
- Some guidelines recommend
conducting baseline for HCV antibody and retested at 6 weeks, 3 months and
6 months. HCV RNA testing should also be offered at 6 weeks.
- If the HCV RNA is negative
at that time, can be advised that the risk of transmission is negligible.
- If the recipient HCVAG or
RNA test is positive, patient should be referred immediately.
- However, treatment of early
infection has been shown to be successful.
Counselling
points
- The recipient should be
counselled for symptoms suggestive of acute infection, eg fever, abdominal
pain, vomiting, dark urine and yellow eyes. A person with symptoms
suggestive of hepatitis, or a positive HCV RNAor Ag result, should be
evaluated immediately by an infectious diseases physician.
- The HCW should be informed
of the risk of transmission to secondary contacts, especially during the
first 6 months following the incident.
- During this period patient
should be advised not to donate plasma, blood, body tissue, breast milk or
sperm and to consider safe sex (e.g. use of condoms).
References:
- Guideline on Healthcare
Workers (HCW) Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis
B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). (2007). Occupational Health
Unit Ministry of Health
- Guidelines for Emergency
Management of Injuries EMI Guideline. (2012). Health Protection
Surveillance Centre (HPSC) Ireland
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