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How do I catch hepatitis C?

HCV is spread by direct contact with human blood in most of the same ways the AIDS Virus (HIV) is spread. However, much smaller amounts of blood are needed to pass HCV than to pass HIV. This makes HCV much "more infective."

Most infections are due to illegal injection drug use.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that HCV is NOT spread by sneezing, hugging, coughing, food or water, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, or casual contact. Persons should not be excluded from work, school, play, child-care or other settings on the basis of their HCV infection status.

Documented routes of infection

1. sharing drug injection needles (this includes drug preparation equipment that is shared) --  Simply sharing a container with a liquid drug preparation which several people use together to fill syringes is sufficient blood-to-blood contact to spread hepatitis C.  Instances of transmission have been found from sharing drug "snorting" tubes.  In these cases it is believed that there are small drops of blood passed from one person's raw and inflamed nostril to another.
2. blood transfusions or tissue transplants before routine testing was instituted (this includes clotting factors and body organs) -- All blood donations are routinely tested for hepatitis C and have been since 1990.  Today, the incidence of transmission from a blood transfusion is extremely rare (2 in 2 million).
3. kidney dialysis -- Sometimes small amounts of blood have been transmitted between patients on dialysis.
4. tattoos or body piercings from used and unsterilized needles
5. health care settings -- via accidental needle sticks or handling blood or human tissue without adequate barrier protection
6. sharing personal grooming items that carry blood (razors, toothbrushes, etc.)
7. during birth from mother to fetus (The risk for perinatal HCV transmission is about 4%.)
8. unprotected vaginal or anal sex -- According to the Centers for Disease Control, HCV can be transmitted by heterosexual or homosexual sexual activity, but the chances are "very low."  The CDC advises that individuals with only one long-time sex partner do not need to change their sexual practices.  Risk of infection increases with the number of partners, the existence of other sexually transmitted diseases, and during a woman's period.  There is no evidence that HCV has ever been spread by oral sex.

Many individuals who have recently been found to carry hepatitis C cannot recall any risk factors, and do not know how they acquired the infection. Some of these individuals undoubtedly have used injection drugs, received injections as a child with non-disposable needles, had blood transfusions that they were unaware of during surgery, or were exposed to another person's blood in some way that they do not recall.