“Relax...you have cooties...but they aren’t as bad as you are imagining.” -
Cindy Torchin: cindyt@cpcug.org Listowner HEPV-L
Most people with hepatitis C contracted it either through a blood transfusion
or receiving a blood product (plasma, gammaglobulin, etc.) that was
contaminated with hepatitis C, or by sharing needles with intravenous
drug users that were infected with hepatitis C. Prior to 1990, the
official line is that blood could not be screened for HCV (see, however,
History of Blood Safety, below). Thanks to HCV testing with modern
sensitive methods, the risk of acquiring hepatitis C from blood
transfusion is now less than 1%. The other people who acquire hepatitis C
include health care and laboratory workers that may get stuck with an
infected needle or instrument, people receiving medical/dental
procedures, people undergoing hemodialysis, body piercing, sharing
razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers or people who have had tattoos or
manicures that were performed with poorly sterilized equipment. Infected
mothers can pass the virus to the fetus in utero; statistics for vertical
transmission are between 5 and 10%. It may occur more readily if the
mother is also infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that
causes AIDS--30% transmission rate.
Cases of hepatitis C with no evidence of exposure through blood transfusions,
needle sticks or needle sharing are called “sporadic.”
How these individuals became infected is unknown. As early as 1956 the Merck
Manual stated that NANB hepatitis could be spread through the use of
glass syringes and other then current medical testing and mass
vaccination devices.
Forty percent of all cases of hepatitis C were contracted through unknown means
by people who are in no current risk category.
What this means is that we are all at risk for contracting hepatitis C.
