What is hepatitis C?

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Hepatitis C is a serious disease, but what else do you need to know about this illness? In this section, you’ll find information on:

Quick Facts on HEP C

Hep C is caused by a virus carried in blood. It attacks your liver.
The virus is passed by blood-to-blood contact. This means blood carrying the virus must get into the bloodstream of another person.
You might not have symptoms for many years. By that time the liver damage could be serious. During that whole time you could pass the virus on to other people.
You can get Hep C from:
- sharing needles, pipes, straws, cookers, filters, ties, or water for drug use with anyone else, including your sexual partner.
- piercing or tattooing equipment (including ink) already used on someone else.
You can also get Hep C from:
- anything that might have blood on it, like razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes already used by someone else, even if you can’t see the blood.
- unprotected sex with someone who has Hep C.
- reusing medical equipment that was not properly sterilized (such as a scalpel) or reusing needles for medical injections.
There is treatment for Hep C but first you have to get tested to know if you have the virus.