Hepatitis C causes

You can get hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with blood from someone who already has the virus. The most common cause of transmission is the sharing of needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. Less common causes of transmission include:

• Sharing a razor, toothbrush or nail clipper with an infected person
• Accidental exposure to infected blood among health care or public safety workers
• Exposure to unclean tattooing or body-piercing instruments
• Unprotected anal sex or exposure to multiple sex partners

In rare cases, hepatitis C can be spread from an infected mother to her child at birth. It cannot be spread by breast-feeding.

Before 1992 there was a risk of getting hepatitis C from blood transfusions. Now all donated blood is tested for HCV so there is almost no risk of getting the disease from blood transfusions.