![]() Hepatitis C in injection drug users: It is time to treat. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. For states that don’t require licensing, artists usually still need to register with an enforcement agency to ensure they are following proper safety and hygiene practices. When seeking a piercing or tattoo, make sure you see a professional who is licensed. A tattoo needle that’s been used on another person, or failure to properly sterilize piercing equipment, can expose you to bloodborne viruses. Getting a tattoo or a piercing at a location where these procedures aren’t legally regulated can put you at risk for hepatitis C. ![]() Learn more about testing for hepatitis C. If you are pregnant, you should get tested for hepatitis C at least once during your pregnancy. Six percent of babies born to a mother who has hepatitis C will be born with the virus. Pregnant people who have hepatitis C can pass the virus to their fetus. Certain types of sexual activity have been linked with an increased risk of hepatitis C transmission. Hepatitis C is not often spread through sexual contact, but it can happen. People who have tested positive for hepatitis B or C at any point in their lives are also now restricted from donating blood as an extra precaution. Advanced screening methods for blood transfusions have brought the chances of acquiring hepatitis down to one blood unit out of 2 million. The World Health Organization notes that medical equipment that hasn’t been properly sterilized and blood that hasn’t been properly screened has driven hepatitis transmission in the past.īut these days, with advancements in technology and medical hygiene, getting a blood transfusion very rarely results in spreading hepatitis C. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you received a blood transfusion or an organ donation prior to 1992, your risk of hepatitis C is higher. When researchers first detected hepatitis C, blood transfusions were a notable cause of spreading the virus. It’s recommended that people who inject drugs, including heroin, get tested regularly for bloodborne viruses such as hepatitis C.Īnother virus commonly spread through IV drug use is HIV. When another person uses the same needle, they are sending blood carrying the virus into their body. If someone has the virus and injects a drug, some of their blood remains in the needle. ![]() Needles and syringes can become contaminated with hepatitis C even if the person is asymptomatic and doesn’t know they have the virus. People who share equipment used to inject drugs are at a higher risk of hepatitis C than people who don’t use these types of drugs. Intravenous (IV) drug use is a common way that hepatitis C is spread in the United States. Here’s an overview of how hepatitis C can be transmitted. Hepatitis C is contagious whether the infection is acute or chronic. Bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis C can only be spread to others through contact with blood from a person carrying the virus. ![]()
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