Hepatitis C

The Hepatitis C virus is present in the blood of a person living with Hepatitis C and can be spread through blood-to-blood contact.

This means for transmission to occur, Hepatitis C infected blood must directly enter the bloodstream of another person.

You have a high risk of the Hepatitis C virus if you:

• Share injecting drug equipment (eg needles, swabs, tourniquets, filters, spoons and water).
• Share tattooing equipment or ink (‘Backyard’ or ‘Prison Tats’).
• Received blood products prior to February 1990 in Australia.

Lower risk ways of getting the virus:

• From a mother with chronic hepatitis C to her newborn baby.
• Blood-to-blood contact from fights.
• Sharing razors, toothbrushes, tweezers, nail clippers, hair clippers.
• Needlestick injury.
• Unprotected sex where there is blood (usually during rough or anal sex).

Most people do not feel ill when first infected with Hepatitis C.

Others may experience any of the following symptoms:

• General aches and pains.
• Flu-like symptoms.
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin (known as jaundice).
• Abdominal pain and discomfort.
• Loss of appetite.
• Light coloured faeces and dark urine.

These symptoms may disappear within a few weeks, but this does not necessarily mean that the infection has been cleared.

Left untreated, Hepatitis C infection can result in Chronic Hepatitis C.

The best way to prevent Hepatitis C infection is to avoid blood-to-blood contact with other people.

• Avoid sharing injecting drug equipment (eg needles, swabs, tourniquets, filters, spoons and water).
• Avoid sharing tattoo equipment and ink.
• Avoid sharing personal items (eg toothbrushes and razors) which have come in to contact with blood and therefore transfer blood from one person to another.
• Use gloves when providing first aid or cleaning up blood and bodily fluids.