by Sandra Douglas
People infected with hepatitis C can usually expect to carry the virus for the rest of their lives. They are naturally concerned, as are their families and loved ones, asking “Can I give hepatitis C to someone else?”
The virus that causes hepatitis C attacks the liver. Some people may not have any symptoms of the disease for many years, and in fact may not know they have it until a blood test surprisingly reveals elevated liver enzymes. Others experience an acute illness with fever, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal tenderness, and weight loss. Those who have acute hepatitis C usually recover without any permanent liver damage.
The reason that hepatitis C is such a serious disease is that eventually, the liver becomes damaged by the attacking viruses. The disease advances to liver failure and cirrhosis, and liver cancer occur in people who have hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is passed through the contact of infected blood. This contact can occur in several ways but it is easy to prevent passing the virus to someone else.
Injectable Drugs
People who use injectable drugs are at high risk of contracting hepatitis C, especially if they share needles with others, or use unsterilized needles, syringes, or paraphernalia. Those who get tattoos are also at risk of picking up the virus from poorly sterilized tattoo equipment. If you have hepatitis C and use injectable drugs, and this includes prescription drugs as well as illegal drug use, dispose of your used needles in a puncture proof container to prevent exposing another person. Never share your injectable equipment.
Blood Donation and Transfusion
Because hepatitis C is transmitted through infected blood, people with hepatitis C are not allowed to donate blood. Since 1992, all donated blood has been tested for hepatitis so that the risk of passing the virus through a blood transfusion or through blood products has been eliminated. You cannot get hepatitis C by receiving or donating blood.
Sexual Transmission
It is rare for hepatitis C to be passed between monogamous sexual partners. In a survey of people with hepatitis C who had spouses or monogamous partners, less than 5% of them had partners who also had hepatitis C, and that includes those partners who themselves had behaviors that put them at risk for hepatitis C such as intravenous drug use. Cases that involve the spreading of hepatitis C between stable, monogamous sex partners is less than 1% per year. Doctors do not recommend that people in stable relationships change their sex practices.
Maternal-Infant Transmission
It is uncommon for a mother to pass the virus to her unborn child. Studies indicate that less than 5% of infected mothers pass the disease to their infants. Those infants that do become infected usually have a mild case without symptoms. Breast-feeding has not been shown to pass the virus from mother to child.
Blood Exposure
Because hepatitis C virus is carried in the blood, do not allow another person to come in contact with infected blood. This may mean having a supply of latex gloves on hand in case of emergency when the assistance of another person is needed. If contact with infected blood occurs, wash with soap and warm water. If the blood is splashed into the face, mouth or eyes, or if an open cut comes in contact with infected blood, flush with water.
The virus can live in spilled blood, including dried blood for up to 4 days. Clean any blood spills with a 1:10 bleach solution, which is ten parts water to 1 part bleach. Wear gloves when cleaning spills.
There is no treatment available for exposure to hepatitis C virus. A person exposed to hepatitis A or B can receive immunoglobulin therapy to prevent the disease from developing but no such treatment is available for hepatitis C. It is not recommended to treat with anti-virals following exposure to hepatitis C virus.
The good news is that the rate of transmission of the disease following such exposures is quite low. The risk of developing the disease after exposure to an open cut is 1.8%, meaning that less than 2 people out of 100 who are exposed will develop the disease. Risk of the disease after exposure to the eyes, mouth, or nose is unknown but very small.
Overall, hepatitis C is not considered a highly contagious disease. As long as precautions are taken to limit exposure to contaminated blood, it is possible to prevent giving hepatitis C to someone else.
