I'm so sorry doctors to bother you all again with questions about my intense fear of blood borne diseases and viruses.  I saw some silly poster today about not sharing toothbrushes and I remembered as a little girl that i used to share a electric toothbrush with my father for while.  This was about twenty years ago, he died a long time ago as did my mother so I don't know his HCV status, he never mentioned having it nor did anyone in my family.  I was tested for everything STD related (HIV, HBV, Syphilis, etc) but never for HCV - I probably used the toothbrush 20-30 times not much more than that.  I know there were times when my gums bleed, but the toothbrush was used always long after anybody else had used it, probably dry much of the time, never right after his usage.  Am I in any danger of HCV?  I read some articles on your site and one that DR EWH answered said the risk was very low or theoretical -  but more exposures the higher the risk?  Would 20-30 times or say even 100 times (doubt it was this high) would it put me at risk for contracting HCV?  Do I need to get tested over this particular situation?  Could I have gotten HCV this way - as I said I have never been tested.  Thanks in advance.

I'm sorry you felt the need to return with these worries. In a way, your question doesn't fit with an STD forum:  HCV is not even sexually transmitted (except between men having traumatic (i.e. potentially bloody) anal sex with other mael partners). HCV is no more common in the heterosexual partners of infected people than in anyone else, which is why HCV testing is not routine during most STD evaluations. On the other hand, of course we get many questions about it, partly because or parallels with HIV testing. But more about testing below.---
---

My dad died many years ago - he did have a major surgery but that was after I had shared his toothbrush, we did you use the same head as he would complain to me about using it :) -  he died about ten years after the sharing of the brushes - to my knowledge he had no liver issues.  He was not gay or a drug user - so I guess that supports that he died not have HCV.  So I have a couple of follow-ups - I understand he is unlikely to have had HCV so the meteorite analogy probably holds for me correct?  If he did have HCV what might my risk be then?  Last question if I was infected it would have been 20-25 years ago would I be having liver issues now?  I do not -  all in all - I don't know his HCV status - but it seems like it would be highly unlikely for me to have HCV from this - the meteorite analogy - correct?  Thank you Dr. Handsfield.

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to speculate in unrealistic "what ifs". I would hold to the meteorite analogy regardless of these details. For all the reasons noted above and your intellectual understanding (if not emotional acceptance) you can safely believe you do not have HCV.---
---