Hepatitis and buddy breathing

[wedivebc]

Hep C is transferrable through blood only. It's not likely to occur in a wet environment. However, if your buddy has confirmed Hep C, make sure he doesn't have any open sores or cuts in his mouth.

Might be a little hard to do. Maybe if we carry a dental mirror and small inspection light :06:

 

[Dive-aholic]

Might be a little hard to do. Maybe if we carry a dental mirror and small inspection light :06:

Or you can ask him...

 

[M60]

Dive-aholic; I have Hep C. I got it in Vietnam from blood exposure. I was just in Gainesville Hospital and they treat thousands of veteran's in the same "boat." They also have the latest scoop on this disease. It is only transferable through the blood. Originally it was "supposed" to be transferable through just about everything, but it is only the blood. In addition there do not seem to be any studied regarding the effect of sea water on the virus. Passing the regulator just might kill it. Just a thought I wanted to share. And no there does not seem to be any evidence that it can be transferred through "normal" sexual relations. Take care. ...Harlow Geronimo!

 

[Dive-aholic]

Harlow, you're right. Chances of transferring it during buddy breathing are slim, but on the off chance there is blood to blood contact - who knows? Nothing is 100%. And with buddy breathing, it's a quick transfer of the reg from mouth to mouth. I take care of patients on a regular basis with Hep C. It's nothing I've every worried about much. I do remember an ambulance crew bringing in a patient one time wearing face masks because he was Hep C positive. They had no blood contact with this guy at all. I tried to educate them on Hep C, but I'm pretty sure to this day they still wear face masks around it.

 

[DandyDon]

I recently took my Rescue Diver/First aid/CPR class. The American Red Cross was fastidious in using alcohol and wipes/breathing barriers when practicing CPR, etc. What is the chance of contracting hepatitis c or the like from buddy breathing? For the most part you are taught to give up your primary and breathe off your backup when sharing. Have any of the agencies changed any policies or trainings because of concerns? Or the other question that came up, was in the amount of post use cleaning that goes into regulator rental, etc.

I think the main reason for the breathing barriers for mouth-to-mouth drills was to alleviate qualms many people have about doing it without one. I've done it without a barrier, but rather have the barrier and now carry a very small one I got from DAN.

As Bratface pointed out to me on another thread, there is a risk of being bitten on mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and I carry a larger mark from DAN in my BC now.

I have never been concerned about Hep-A, B, or C transmission by kissing, buddy breathing, or mouth-to-mouth. I did get the vaccination shots for A & B just because I thought they were very good ideas, and I had to pay for mine. I think the Hep-B was kinda' pricey, but worth it.

I do like to rinse all my mouth pieces with a high alcohol content mouthwash, tho - after dunking my regs and snorkels in the same tank everyone rinsed their wetsuits, etc. :11:

 

[Saturation]

Hepatitis A,B, or C and HIV can be detected in most any body fluid including saliva, but its infectivity is unknown.

For example B:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/slideset/hep_b/slide_10.htm

Infection to individuals is thought to depend on the volume of virus. Its unknown how much protection intact mucosa provides. In a minority of patients there are no known entry routes leading to Hepatitis C or B. Its presumed then, such folks received their infection through other body fluids, say saliva or sweat, on frequent but casual contact [ kissing, touching etc..] C is more virulent than B, so less volume of virus is needed to acquire infection.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11268963&query_hl=8&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16093867&query_hl=29&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16215428&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16453262&query_hl=5&itool=pubmed_docsum

For diving purposes, I would choose your buddy carefully and as a habit, rinse the mouthpiece with the surrounding water before taking it. An emergency is an emergency during gas sharing. The standard octopus setup insures that the mouthpiece has not been used by the donor, but as often, the reason for the Hogarthian rigging was in many instances this regulator maybe of questionable usability.

From familial studies, its clear infection can spread without blood contact. Its is thus, extremely incorrect for healthcare workers to not use total barriers, including face shields, when caring for patients with risk for these infection [or unknown risk] as a risk for splash contact cannot be eliminated. In a field setting without bleeding, patients may spit, vomit, or become incontinent at a moments notice, leading to unexpected contact. As healthcare workers routinely contact ill patients, their risk for acquiring infection is much higher even through low infectivity routes, as suggested by familial spread studies.

 

[eponym]

Might be a little hard to do. Maybe if we carry a dental mirror and small inspection light :06:

Good idea! And use the mirror frequently, to scan overhead for approaching meteors.

Bryan

 

[DandyDon]

Good idea! And use the mirror frequently, to scan overhead for approaching meteors.

Bryan

And your plan when you see one coming...??

 

[eponym]

And your plan when you see one coming...??

Well, it's a sort of valve drill. Starts with bending over and involves kissing.:10:

 

[bmaber]

I agree with the CDC and Hoosier and all those that say don't worry about HEP C unless you are into dirty needles and unprotected sex, there is a high coloration of Hep C in the same risk groups who have AIDS. As for A and B you can always get the 3 shot protection but really in the tropics ice cubes are more likely your danger than regs.

Now if you want to worry about how your rental reg might kill you -- think about the abuse these things get, possible poor service, faulty O rings on the primary stage (yup that ring is behind your head where you can't see it leak). Even if your reg is good you still might not use it right, my brother the instructor has a thousand stories of panicked divers pulling it out of their mouth! but he has no stories about anyone coming down with Hep anything. The lesson here, follow your training be alert (the world needs more lerts), rent your gear from a shop you really trust, or get your own, (that’s what I did) and most important when diving don't worry be happy.