![]() The CDC says the cure rate is over 90% for anyone who is treated for hepatitis C with antiviral medications. So, you should not be afraid of your relatives or loved ones who have hepatitis C."īut, Reau added, "Just be careful with anything that might have been exposed to someone else's blood or body products." Nancy Reau, hepatology section chief at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, explained in an American Liver Foundation video that "everyday contact to someone with hepatitis C very, very rarely will lead to infection. Anyone who tests positive for the virus is considered contagious.ĭr. The New York State Department of Health says that hepatitis C is typically contagious for at least a week or more before symptoms appear, and remains so "indefinitely" afterward for people with chronic hepatitis. Incidents of hepatitis C infections increased by 15% between 20 for acute cases, according to the CDC. Melissa Jenkins, chief of the division of infectious diseases at MetroHealth, in Cleveland, Ohio.Ī research article published recently in the journal Pathogens noted that the opioid epidemic and less access to health care have also fueled new hepatitis C cases. "Before 1993, a blood transfusion was a common way to get hepatitis C, but now blood transfusion is safe because we check the blood," explained Dr. Organ transplants and blood transfusions.Health care worker exposure to blood-borne infections.Sharing medical and other items, such as glucose monitors and razors that have infected blood on them.Sex with someone infected with the virus, which is reported more among men who have sex with other men.Tattoos and piercings, especially from unlicensed and unregulated establishments.Birth: approximately 6% of children born to infected mothers are also infected.Sharing of drug needles or other injection materials.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis C transmission occurs when you come into contact with the blood of someone who is infected. They will also explain if there's a hepatitis C vaccine, and what medications are used to treat this viral infection.Īccording to the U.S. To help you protect yourself against this virus, liver experts describe how you get hepatitis C, if it's curable and how contagious it is. Talk to your doctor about ways to prevent passing it along to other family members or anyone else you come into close contact with.The American Liver Foundation estimates that it affects about 2.7 million people in the United States today. If you have hepatitis A, be careful when in close contact with family and friends. Because hepatitis A is easily transmitted via food and drink, it's best to abstain from preparing food and drink for others while you have an active hepatitis A infection. Be sure to scrub vigorously with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and rinse thoroughly. ![]() In particular, wash thoroughly after using the toilet or changing diapers. Frequent hand-washing is one of the best defenses against passing hepatitis A on to others. The Mayo Clinic reports that condoms don't offer adequate protection from the potential transmission of the disease, so skipping any kind of sex all together is your best option. Because of the high risk of transferring hepatitis A to your partner, it's best to abstain from sex until your body has cleared the infection. ![]()
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