Who Is Most at Risk for Hepatitis C?

People who are most at risk for hepatitis C include:

1. People who inject drugs or have injected drugs in the past, especially those who share needles or other drug paraphernalia.

2. People who received contaminated blood transfusions or blood products before July 1992, when screening for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) began.

3. People who received organs or tissues from donors who were infected with HCV.

4. People who were born to mothers who were infected with HCV.

5. People who have chronic liver disease of unknown cause.

6. People who have HIV infection.

7. People who work in the healthcare field and may have been exposed to infected blood or bodily fluids.

8. People who have had unprotected sex with someone who is infected with HCV.

It is important to note that not everyone who is exposed to HCV will develop the infection. Some people may have a natural immunity to the virus, while others may be able to clear the infection on their own without developing chronic hepatitis C.