Who’s at risk?
-
Some people are at increased risk for Hepatitis C, including:
-
Current injection drug users.
-
Past injection drug users, including those who injected only one time or many years ago.
-
Recipients of donated blood, blood products, and organs.
-
Dialysis patients or persons who spent many years on dialysis for kidney failure.
-
People who received body piercing or tattoos done with non-sterile instruments.
-
People with known exposures to the Hepatitis C virus,
such as:
-
Health care workers injured by needle sticks.
-
Recipients of blood or organs from a donor who tested positive for the Hepatitis C virus
-
HIV-infected persons
-
Children born to mothers infected with the Hepatitis C virus
Less common risks include:
-
Having sexual contact with a person who is infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
-
Sharing personal care items, such as razors or toothbrushes, that may have come in contact with the blood of an infected person.