Hepatitis C is the most common type of viral hepatitis. It’s caused by a blood-borne virus that attacks the liver and is easily spread by sharing drug injecting equipment. It can also be spread through sex.
How is Hepatitis C caught?
The hepatitis C virus is found in blood and is passed on when infected blood gets into another person’s bloodstream. It’s seen as unlikely (but not impossible) that it can be passed on in semen.
Most people get the virus from sharing drug injecting equipment such as needles, syringes, water cups, tourniquets, spoons, filters and swabs. Sharing things like straws and bank notes which are used for snorting drugs might pass the virus on, as can sharing pipes.
In the UK piercing and tattooing should be safe – but unsterilised equipment abroad can spread the virus.
An infected person risks infecting others if they share anything that might have blood on it like toothbrushes or razors.
How do I know if I have Hepatitis C?
Most people who get hepatitis C don’t notice any symptoms when they are first infected. It can take years before you feel ill, with symptoms often not easily identified as being due to hepatitis C.
The symptoms can include:
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