Get the facts about hepatitis C
5 must-know facts about hepatitis C
- It's a potentially deadly virus that is spread through blood, and it's highly infectious—10 times more so than HIV.
- At least half of all people living with hepatitis C don't know they have the virus.
- The only way to know if you're infected is to have a blood test.
- Testing is recommended for certain people, including:
- Baby boomers—those born from 1945 to 1965.
- Anyone who has ever injected drugs, even once.
- Children who were born to mothers infected with hepatitis C.
- Those who received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992.
- Those who are infected with HIV.
- There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, but new treatments may cure the virus.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention