What is Hep C?

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Hep C is a serious disease, but what else do you need to know? Click the following links to take you to each page in this section:

Quick Facts on HEP C

Hep C is caused by a virus carried in blood. It attacks your liver.
The virus is passed by blood-to-blood contact.
You might not have symptoms for many years. By that time the liver damage could be serious. During that whole time you could pass the virus on to other people.
You can get Hep C from:
- sharing needles, pipes, straws, cookers, filters, ties, or water for drug use with anyone else, including your sexual partner.
- piercing or tattooing equipment (including ink) already used on someone else.
Sometimes you can get Hep C from:
- anything that might have blood on it, like razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes already used by someone else, even if you can’t see the blood.
- unprotected sex with someone who has Hep C.
People can get both Hep C and HIV from blood that has virus in it. Living with Hep C and HIV can present unique challenges.
Knowing if you have both Hep C and HIV is the first step in helping you and your healthcare worker make the right choices to keep you healthy.
There is treatment for Hep C but first you have to get tested to know if you have the virus.