Transmission
The hepatitis C virus is a major cause of chronic liver disease and can lead to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. It varies greatly in its course and outcome, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), a service of the National Institutes of Health. There are those who show no symptoms and whose overall prognosis may be good. But there are others with severe hepatitis C who have symptoms and high levels of the virus. They can develop cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. The most common causes include injecting drugs, having a blood transfusion prior to 1992 before sensitive blood screening was introduced, receiving clotting factor concentrates such as hemophiliac treatment before 1987 when new means were introduced, hemodialysis for kidney failure, birth to a hepatitis C-infected mother, and suffering a needle-stick accident from a person with the virus. Being tattooed or pierced with unsterilized tools used by an infected person or using an infected person's razor or toothbrush can also spread hepatitis C.
Unsafe Practices
Hepatitis C can also be contracted through sexual transmission with an infected partner and especially when having multiple sex partners. Intranasal use of cocaine using shared equipment and paraphernalia may also spread the virus. Sometimes the source of the infection is unknown. This has caused about 10 percent of acute hepatitis C cases and 30 percent of chronic hepatitis C cases, according to the NDDIC. Transmission can also occur in areas of the world where unsafe injection practices are used in health-care facilities. These methods include inadequately sterilized equipment, reuse of needles and syringes, and contamination of medical infusions. Even in the U.S., multiple-use vials in medical care facilities have led to the spread of hepatitis C. Symptoms of chronic hepatitis C may include fatigue, tenderness in the liver area, nausea, poor appetite and muscle and joint pain.
Exceptions
Although hepatitis C can be spread through sexual contact, that type of transmission is believed to be low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The risk, however, does increase when a person has multiple sex partners. A few major studies have not shown that hepatitis C is spread through licensed, commercial tattoo facilities. But the transmission is possible, especially when there are poor practices for infection control. Unregulated tattoo and piercing practitioners are known to offer their services. Make sure the person performing tattooing or piercing is licensed. Hepatitis C can be spread within a household, but this also does not occur very often. It is usually spread through direct skin exposure to the blood of an infected member of the household. The virus is not spread by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, sneezing or through food or water, according to the CDC.
