“IS IT SAFE TO HAVE MY DAUGHTER VISIT MY FATHER WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH HEPATITIS?”
“We were planning on traveling to my parent’s house for visit with our 3-month-old, but have recently found out that my dad was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and C. Is there a risk for us and the baby to be around him?”
Hepatitis B and C are mainly transmitted the same way that HIV would be transmitted (blood transfusions, contaminated needle sticks, etc.). The casual contact that would occur during a visit to the grandparents should pose no risk. This is different than another virus, Hepatitis A, which is much easier to transmit (not washing hands after using bathroom).
Dr. Jim