Hi Dr. Dieterich,

I admire your patience in dealing with the everyday concerns of some very neurotic people (like myself)!!!

I have a huge fear of contacting hepatitis B or C. My stepdaughter sat on a seat where two days before her prostitute/drug addicted cousin sat. The cousin had her period and there was some dried blood on the seat (no one had noticed until after my stepdaughter sat there so it hadn't been cleaned). After coming home and telling us about this, my husband and I had her change her clothes and shower. In the meantime though, she had come into the house and sat on our couch, on her bed, on a blanket, etc. Is it possible that now, 10 days later, these items may be contaminated with that dry blood?

Is this nuts? It certainly sounds nuts as I'm writing it, but any contact with this woman's blood scares the daylights out of me. Can I contract HEP B or C this way?

Thanks for your help!

Yes this is nuts! Dried blood on skin is not really a risk. However I understand your concern and it certainly is distateful. However think about it, how would blood leap off your stepdaughters skin get through her clothes and onto your furniture unless she was walking around your house naked in her blood smeared body! Talk to your daughther about safe sex and forget about this! DTD