Gym Germs

M Sprague wrote: Hepatitis can still be infectious in dried blood. From what I understand, it is far more durable than say, AIDs.

This is true.

CDC article on Hepatitis in dried blood: cdc.gov/niosh/topics/correc…

Mediocre is correct about MRSA being a bigger risk though, as it's much easier to transmit.

You will not get hep c from touching a little dried blood on a climbing wall. I'd be surprised if you could get it from a climbing wall even with a gaping wound. Besides, by the time you wen found out you had hep C you wouldn't be able to pin it to the gym.

Quinn Baker wrote: I doubt there's much risk if you came into contact with dry blood and you didn't have any open wounds, especially if you washed your hands. But, I'm not a doctor so take that with a grain of salt lol.

Yeah, but we climbers pretty often do have scratches and flappers.

mediocre wrote:You will not get hep c from touching a little dried blood on a climbing wall. I'd be surprised if you could get it from a climbing wall even with a gaping wound. Besides, by the time you wen found out you had hep C you wouldn't be able to pin it to the gym.

You can, its just unlikely. Hep C can stay alive in dried blood for up to a week, and if you have an open cut, scrape, flapper, etc. and you grab a hold/jam your hand in a crack with some dried Hep C blood on there, you can definitely get infected.

As M Sprague said, climbers often have random scrapes (not to mention flappers) so I wouldn't be surprised at all if some climbers were to contract Hep C from dirty holds. But, as you said, it would be pretty hard to determine exactly where you got it though and its unlikely you could pin it on the gym.

What an awkward conversation it would be to explain how you got Hep C to a significant other without seeming like your lying about cheating on them or using drugs, lol

Does anyone know of any person that got an infection from a climbing hold?????

djh860 wrote:Does anyone know of any person that got an infection from a climbing hold?????

It was in am earlier post: rockandice.com/lates-news/i…

climbing friend,

do not be so scare. you may simply wear latex glove when you are pulling down crushing on the climbing rocks in the meat cave at your gym.

Maybe put on 2 pairs if many hipsters they climb there. Also you must wear condom, just in case you fall by crack with infected blood it is dripping down, yes? Especially important yes if you maintain half-erection for power and leading confidence, and it becomes lodged in the crack...

Quinn Baker wrote: You can, its just unlikely. Hep C can stay alive in dried blood for up to a week, and if you have an open cut, scrape, flapper, etc. and you grab a hold/jam your hand in a crack with some dried Hep C blood on there, you can definitely get infected. As M Sprague said, climbers often have random scrapes (not to mention flappers) so I wouldn't be surprised at all if some climbers were to contract Hep C from dirty holds. But, as you said, it would be pretty hard to determine exactly where you got it though and its unlikely you could pin it on the gym. What an awkward conversation it would be to explain how you got Hep C to a significant other without seeming like your lying about cheating on them or using drugs, lol

I've worked in healthcare long enough never to speak in absolutes, but I have yet to see any research that make me worry about Hep C in the gym.
Im more worried about the common cold or how many people wear their climbing shoes in to use the shitter.

mediocre wrote: I've worked in healthcare long enough never to speak in absolutes, but I have yet to see any research that make me worry about Hep C in the gym. Im more worried about the common cold or how many people wear their climbing shoes in to use the shitter.

I mean, you literally used an absolute in your last post...

Either way, I agree that the common cold is probably a more common problem than Hep C.

So if you have WuFlu and you touch your behind and then a gym hold....and then the gym owner ups the rate....?

It's a dirty sport. Builds the immune system.