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Being accidentally stuck by a needle used by someone infected with hep C
Knowing how the virus spreads makes it easier to help protect yourself and others.
Anyone can get chronic hep C if they come in contact with an infected person´s blood. This can happen from:
- Sharing a razor or toothbrush with someone who has hep C
- Sharing piercing or tattoo tools with someone who has hep C (contaminated needles/ink)
- Sharing manicure/pedicure tools with someone infected with hep C
- Receiving blood products for hemophilia (hee-muh-FEE-lee-uh) before 1987
- Receiving a blood transfusion before 1992 (there are stricter screening procedures in place now)
- Sharing needles with someone infected with hep C (even if it only happened once) – risk associated with drug abuse and addiction
- Having unprotected sex with someone who is infected with hep C
- Being born to a mother with hep C
- Being accidentally stuck by a needle used by someone infected with hep C
Chronic hep C is more common than you
think. In fact, it’s the most common
chronic viral infection that can be
spread by blood in the United States