How Do Catch Hepatitis C

Giving Blood And Organ Donation

If you have hepatitis C, you cannot give blood.

In a recent research study in America kidneys from people with hepatitis C who had died were transplanted into patients who did not have the virus.

All of the recipients subsequently contracted hepatitis C but were treated for it and all were cured. The benefit of receiving a kidney outweighed the risk of not clearing hepatitis C.

Should I Be Screened For Hepatitis C

Doctors usually recommend one-time screening of all adults ages 18 to 79 for hepatitis C. Screening is testing for a disease in people who have no symptoms. Doctors use blood tests to screen for hepatitis C. Many people who have hepatitis C dont have symptoms and dont know they have hepatitis C. Screening tests can help doctors diagnose and treat hepatitis C before it causes serious health problems.

Could I Get Hep C In The Hospital

Before the medical community identified hepatitis C as a dangerous virus, it existed in the blood supply that hospitals used for transfusions or organ transplants. People got hepatitis C if they received a transfusion before we knew how to test for it, says Dr. Fox. Today though, blood is screened before being administered to patients, so the odds of getting hep C from it is extremely unlikely.

There are also cases of babies who are born with hep C, but that has nothing to do with hospital itself: If a woman has the virus, there is a 6% chance her infant will be born with it, too, according to the CDC. For that reason, its important to be tested for hepatitis C if you are thinking about getting pregnant, and also during pregnancy.

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How Will I Know If My Treatment Works

The goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of the hepatitis C virus in your blood to levels that cant be detected after 24 weeks of therapy. The amount of the virus in your blood is called your viral load. At the end of your treatment, your doctor will need to measure your viral load and find out how healthy your liver is. He or she may repeat many of the same tests that were done when you were first diagnosed with hepatitis C.

If your blood has so few copies of the virus that tests cant measure them, the virus is said to be undetectable. If it stays undetectable for at least 6 months after your treatment is finished, you have what is called a sustained virologic response . People who have an SVR have a good chance of avoiding serious liver problems in the future.

Treatment may not reduce your viral load. You may not have an SVR after treatment. If thats true, your doctor will discuss other treatment options with you. For example, if 1 round of treatment did not decrease your viral load enough, your doctor may recommend a second round. Even if treatment doesnt keep you from having active liver disease, lowering your viral load and controlling chronic liver inflammation may help you feel better for a longer time.

Is There A Hepatitis C Vaccine

No vaccine exists for hepatitis C right now. While efforts to develop a vaccine for this specific strain are ongoing, it’s proven challenging. That’s because hepatitis C tends to avoid immune responses. In other words, a person can catch hepatitis C repeatedly despite past infection, which is what makes it hard to create a vaccine that works for this virus.

There is an effective treatment for hepatitis C, though, and it involves direct-acting antivirals . Thanks to this treatment, WHO aims to cut 80% of hepatitis C cases worldwide by 2030. Researchers across the globe think that a vaccine is needed to accomplish this goal, so creating one is a high priority.

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Can You Get Hep C From Recreational Drug Use

The main way hepatitis C is spread is blood-to-blood, says Rena Fox, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and an internist and hepatitis specialist at UCSF Health. So any activity where you might come in contact with another persons blood, like sharing needles, puts you at risk.

In fact, sharing needles and syringes is the most common way hepatitis C is spread, says Dr. Fox. We started seeing the number of new cases per year rise again about four or five years ago, along with an increase in heroin use with the opioid epidemic, she says. If people become addicted to prescription opiates, but then lose access to them, she explains, they may turn to heroin which often involves sharing needles.

Preventing The Spread Of Hepatitis C

There is no vaccine available to prevent a person from being infected with hepatitis C. Recommended behaviours to prevent the spread of the virus include:

• Always use sterile injecting equipment. This can be accessed from your local needle and syringe program service.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, razors, nail files or nail scissors, which can draw blood.
• If you are involved in body piercing, tattooing, electrolysis or acupuncture, always ensure that any instrument that pierces the skin is either single use or has been cleaned, disinfected and sterilised since it was last used.
• If you are a healthcare worker, follow standard precautions at all times.
• Wherever possible, wear single-use gloves if you give someone first aid or clean up blood or body fluids.
• Although hepatitis C is not generally considered to be a sexually transmissible infection in Australia, you may wish to consider safe sex practices if blood is going to be present, or if your partner has HIV infection. You may wish to further discuss this issue and personal risks with your doctor.

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What Are The Side Effects Of Drug Treatment

Common side effects for some treatments for hepatitis C may include the following:

• nausea
• fatigue
• depression

Side effects are usually worst during the first few weeks of treatment. They become less severe over time. If you are having trouble dealing with the side effects of your medicine, talk to your doctor. He or she can suggest ways to relieve some of the side effects. For example, if your medicine makes you feel nauseated, it may help to take it right before you go to sleep.

How Do You Test For Hepatitis C

A simple blood test carried out by a healthcare professional will show whether you have the virus. You may also be given an extra test to see if your liver is damaged.

If youve got hepatitis C you should be tested for other STIs. It’s important that you tell your recent sexual partner/s so they can also get tested and treated. Many people who have hepatitis C do not notice anything wrong, and by telling them you can help to stop the virus being passed on. It can also stop you from getting the infection again.

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How Is Hepatitis C Diagnosed

Your doctor will determine if you have hepatitis C by using a blood test. The test is called the Hepatitis C Antibody Test. The test checks your blood for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. If antibodies are detected, it means you have been exposed to hepatitis C. If your viral load is positive, it means you are currently actively infected with hepatitis C. A negative test means that you do not have hepatitis C antibodies and likely do not have hepatitis C.

How Is Hepatitis C Infection Prevented

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. To reduce your risk of getting hepatitis C:

• Injection drug use is the most common way people get hepatitis C. Avoid injecting drugs to reduce your risk. If you do inject drugs, use sterile injection equipment. Avoid reusing or sharing.
• Avoid sharing personal care items that might have blood on them
• If you are a health care or public safety worker, follow universal blood/body fluid precautions and safely handle needles and other sharps
• Consider the risks if you are thinking about tattooing, body piercing, or acupuncture are the instruments properly sterilized?
• If youre having sex with more than one partner, use latex condoms correctly and every time to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including hepatitis C.

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What The Cdc Recommends

Were you born between 1945 and 1965? If so, then youre a member of the Hepatitis C generation. The CDC recently recommended that all people born between during this time have a 1-time screening test for Hepatitis C. We now have new drugs that can treat and cure Hepatitis C so you should go get tested today.

The life you save may be your own! Please contact your local healthcare provider.

Medical Care Overseas Or Blood Transfusions In Australia Prior To 1990

Moderate to low risk

In some developing countries, the blood used for transfusions is not properly screened for hep C. Surgical equipment may also not be well sterilised, which means theres a risk it could transmit hep C.

In Australia, the blood used for transfusions has been screened for hep C since 1990 and is very safe. There is a very low risk in Australia that some procedures involving blood may be performed by workers who do not have a good understanding of sterile procedure and infection control .

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How Is Hepatitis C Spread

The hepatitis C virus is spread through contact with infected blood and bodily fluids, such as semen and vaginal fluid. You will only be infected if the virus enters your bloodstream.

In Canada, most people are infected by:

• using or sharing drug paraphernalia contaminated with infected blood, including:
• pipes

If you have hepatitis C, you can pass the virus to your baby during:

• pregnancy
• childbirth
• breastfeeding if your nipples are cracked and bleeding, and your baby also has bleeding in or on the mouth
• it can be hard to tell if a baby has bleeding in or on the mouth
• cracked nipples may not be bleeding but may begin to during breastfeeding

You can also be infected if you receive contaminated:

• blood
• organs
• blood products

Although rare, hepatitis C can also be spread through unprotected sex especially if it involves blood contact, such as:

• contact with:
• open sores, cuts or wounds
• semen or vaginal fluid if blood is present

Unprotected sex means having sex without using a condom or other barrier safely.

Hepatitis C is not spread through:

• breast milk

How Can I Protect Myself From Hepatitis C Infection

If you dont have hepatitis C, you can help protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by

• not sharing drug needles or other drug materials
• wearing gloves if you have to touch another persons blood or open sores
• making sure your tattoo artist or body piercer uses sterile tools and unopened ink
• not sharing personal items such toothbrushes, razors, or nail clippers

Hepatitis C can spread from person to person during sex, but the chances are low. People who have multiple sex partners, have HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, or who engage in rough or anal sex have a higher chance of getting hepatitis C. Talk with your doctor about your risk of getting hepatitis C through sex and about safe sex practices, such as using a latex or polyurethane condom to help prevent the spread of hepatitis C.

If you had hepatitis C in the past and your body fought off the infection or medicines cured the infection, you can get hepatitis C again. Follow the steps above, and talk with your doctor about how to protect yourself from another hepatitis C infection.

If you think you may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus, see your doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent liver damage.

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Activities That Do Not Spread Hepatitis C

Because HCV is spread through blood, you cannot get the virus from:

• Breast milk
• Food or water
• Casual contact with an HCV-infected person, such as hugging, holding hands, or kissing
• Being coughed or sneezed on
• Sharing food, drinks, or eating utensils
• Via mosquitoes or other insects

Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro.

Tattooing And Body Piercing

Moderate to low risk

Tattooing and body piercing can be a risk because they use needles so can spread infected blood. It is extremely unlikely that you would get hep C at a professional tattooist in Australia because they use effective infection control procedures and sterile equipment. However, in situations where it might be hard to sterilise equipment properly, such as prison and amateur tattooing, there is a much higher risk .

Having tattoos or piercings overseas, in countries where rules about health standards may be poor or not exist, or by workers who may not have good knowledge about sterilisation and infection control can increase your risk of getting hep C or another blood borne virus . The rate of hep C among the people living there may also be higher in developing countries, so the risk of equipment coming into contact with infected blood also increases.

Make sure body artists are operating out of clean, established business premises and are registered with the local council. You can check that they know the Code of Practice for Skin Penetration Procedures and can talk about it with you.

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There Is No Vaccine For Hepatitis C

But, did you know?

• Hepatitis C can be treated with medication that has cure rates > 90%.
• Earlier diagnosis and treatment lead to better health outcomes.
• Early treatment may even prevent liver disease, liver cancer, or cirrhosis.

Testing is quick and simple with a blood test.

Ask your health care provider for a test if you think you could have hepatitis C.

The best way to know is to get tested.

To learn about how to protect yourself and where you can get tested, visit Canada.ca and search ‘hepatitis C.’

What Is Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation and damage. Inflammation is swelling that occurs when tissues of the body become injured or infected. Inflammation can damage organs.

Viruses invade normal cells in your body. Many viruses cause infections that can be spread from person to person. The hepatitis C virus spreads through contact with an infected persons blood.

Hepatitis C can cause an acute or chronic infection.

Although no vaccine for hepatitis C is available, you can take steps to protect yourself from hepatitis C. If you have hepatitis C, talk with your doctor about treatment. Medicines can cure most cases of hepatitis C.

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What Can I Do If I Think I Have Hepatitis C

A doctor or sexual health clinician can test you to see if you have hepatitis C. If you do, effective treatment with fewer side effects than the older medicine is available and you can discuss how to avoid infecting your sexual partners or people you live with.

It can take three to six months before the blood test for hepatitis C will be able to detect signs of infection in your blood. For people with HIV who may be immunocompromised, the antibody may not be detectable and it may be necessary to request an RNA test which detects the virus.

Who Gets Hepatitis C

Who gets hepatitis C?

Anyone can get hepatitis C virus. But unlike a cold or flu virus, HCV isn’t easy to catch. The virus is transmitted only by direct contact with human blood that contains the virus. There are several ways infection can occur. Those at risk of being infected with hepatitis C virus include:

What about tattooing?

Several studies have shown there is no link between licensed commercial tattooing parlors and HCV infection, “but transmission of Hepatitis C is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The agency advises people thinking about getting tattoos or body piercing to consider the health risks. It’s possible to get infected with HCV, the CDC says, if the tools used have someone else’s blood on them, or if the piercer or tattoo artist fails to use proper hygiene, such as washing hands, sterilizing tools, and using disposable gloves.

Is it possible to contract HCV from a shared razor or toothbrush?

There are no documented cases of transmission, but the CDC warns that people should not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care items: They might have small amounts of infected blood on them.

The CDC stresses that the hepatitis C virus is NOT spread by casual contact or by breast feeding, hugging or kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing utensils, drinking glasses, food, or water.

Is sex safe?

Preventing the spread

References

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Living With Hepatitis C

Coping with hepatitis C isnt easy. You may feel sad, scared, or angry. You may not believe you have the disease. These feelings are normal, but they shouldnt keep you from living your daily life. If they do or if they last a long time you may be suffering from depression. People who are depressed have most or all of the following symptoms nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks or longer:

• Feeling sad, hopeless and having frequent crying spells.
• Losing interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy .
• Feeling guilty, helpless, or worthless.
• Thinking about death or suicide.
• Sleeping too much or having problems sleeping.
• Loss of appetite and unintended weight loss or gain.
• Feeling very tired all the time.
• Having trouble paying attention and making decisions.
• Having aches and pains that dont get better with treatment.
• Feeling restless, irritated, and easily annoyed.

Talk to your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms. Your doctor can help by recommending a support group or a therapist. He or she may also prescribe a medicine for you to take.