Hepatitis C is a serious viral infection that results in inflammation of the liver. This is considered an infectious disease because it can be transmitted from one person to another through contaminated blood and tissue products, needles and sexual contact. Understanding the risk factors for hepatitis C can help people take the precautions necessary to prevent infection.
Intravenous Drug Use
According to physicians from the Mayo Clinic, intravenous drug use is one of the biggest risk factors for developing hepatitis C. When needles and other drug paraphernalia are shared among intravenous drug users, the possibility of transmitting hepatitis C from one user to another is increased. Physicians from the Mayo Clinic also indicate that using drugs that are snorted, such as cocaine, is also a risk factor for hepatitis C.
Blood Transfusions
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) indicates that there's a risk of contracting hepatitis C if you received a blood transfusion before July 1992. Before this date, testing procedures weren't sensitive enough to identify hepatitis C in donated blood. Modern testing procedures screen for hepatitis C, and any donated blood that is contaminated with the disease is discarded.
Organ Transplants
The American Liver Foundation notes that receiving organ transplantation before 1992 is another risk factor for hepatitis C. As with blood transfusions, testing procedures before 1992 were not rigorous enough to detect the presence of hepatitis C in donated organ tissues. Donated organs are now tested for hepatitis C and a number of other diseases to prevent recipients from developing these life-threatening conditions.
Sexual Promiscuity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists sexual contact as a risk factor for hepatitis C. According to the CDC, sexual contact with someone who has the disease can result in its transmission. Dr. Howard Worman of Columbia University also indicates that those who are considered sexually promiscuous are at a greater risk for the disease. "Sexually promiscuous" is defined by the NDDIC as having had more than one partner in a six-month period.
Contact With Infected Blood
According to the Mayo Clinic, health care workers are at a greater risk for developing hepatitis C if they come into contact with infected blood. This can occur due to needle-stick injuries, or the spattering of blood during trauma cases or surgical procedures. Universal precautions such as wearing gloves and disposing of needles properly can help reduce the chances of hepatitis C transmission in a health care setting.
Tattoos and Piercings
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse lists tattoos and piercings as possible risk factors for hepatitis C. This is because tattoo and piercing shops that don't properly sterilize equipment may use the same needle or piercing gun on more than one person. If a customer has hepatitis C and her blood is left on a piece of equipment, the next person who gets a tattoo or piercing with that piece of equipment will be exposed.
Shared Personal Care Items
Although it's a rare way for the disease to be transmitted, sharing razors and other personal care items can be a risk factor for hepatitis C, according to the CDC. If someone gets a cut while using a razor, blood could be left on the blades, and the next person to use that razor could be exposed to hepatitis C through that contaminated blade.
