Man with Hep C may face 14 years for spitting at a cop

[shawnsyms]

Kristopher Wentworth was having a really bad day. He was in court and things didn't look good. He'd robbed a variety store - and stolen a few pills from a girlfriend. Wentworth lost his temper in the courtroom - and that's when his situation went from bad to drastically worse. When the deputies tried to handcuff him, he spat at one, right in the

Comments

[weebax]

I know in most jurisdictions spitting is seen as a form of assult. (i.e it's often posted in the TTC that you can be charged with assult if you spit at a driver/conductor).

[shawnsyms]

Don: Agreed. Even just uttering threats at someone is assault. My concern though is that they are saying this guy's spit endangered someone's life when that's not realistic, and having him potentially be punished with much more time in jail than most other person who spat on someone.

[mondragon]

I agree with what you wrote, and am not surprised at the comment someone left.

The protocol for post-exposure (if it's actually risky exposure) is confusing and could lead to someone with an untreatable chronic case.

Basically, there's a dilemma. Some people clear it on their own, some don't. Usually if hey do they are clear by 6 months. BUT, if you are infected and treat within the first 6 months there's a 90%+ chance of getting rid of it with 6 months of treatment (possibly shorter now). After six months, the chances of clearing it after a year of treatment goes down to under 50%.

But the chances of getting it from saliva are vanishingly slim. Women find out they've had it for decades and their children - born after infection - and husbands are not infected. BUT, it can be spread by sharing a coke-snorting straw - but that is blood to blood, even a tiny amount.