What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is an infection in the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. Over time, the virus causes liver injury and scarring and can make you very sick.

Hepatitis C can be cured. Treatment comes in pill form, has few side effects and is usually taken for eight or 12 weeks.

The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to get tested. There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection, and no one is immune to hepatitis C.

How is hepatitis C transmitted?

The hepatitis C virus gets into the blood through breaks in the skin or in the lining of the nose or mouth. 

It can be passed from one person to another by:

• Sharing equipment for preparing and injecting drugs.
• Sharing equipment for smoking or snorting drugs.
• Reusing tattooing or piercing equipment that was not cleaned properly.
• Reusing medical equipment that was meant to be used only once, such as needles for vaccines or medicines, or medical equipment that was not cleaned properly before reuse (this is very rare in Canada).

Hepatitis C can also be passed by:

• Sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, razors and nail clippers that may have traces of blood on them can pass hepatitis C.
• Hepatitis C transmission during sex is not common. The risk increases if you have condomless anal sex or group sex, if you use drugs before or during sex, if you have sex where blood might be present, or if you or your partner(s) have HIV or another sexually transmitted infection.
• Hepatitis C can be passed from parent to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
• Getting a blood transfusion or organ transplant that was not screened for hepatitis C (in Canada, donated blood has been screened for hepatitis C since 1990, but in some other countries, blood was not screened until more recently).

Hepatitis C is a strong virus. It can survive in a tiny drop of blood that is too small to see and can live outside of the body for many days. In certain conditions, such as inside a syringe, the virus can survive for many weeks. This means dried blood can also pass the virus.

How can you prevent hepatitis C?

For more information, please see the prevention and harm reduction section of Hepatitis C: An In-Depth Guide, or Hepatitis C Basics.

The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to get tested.

You can have hepatitis C for many years without having symptoms or feeling sick, even though the virus may be injuring your liver. 

Knowing if you have hepatitis C as soon as you can, and getting cured means there is less time for your liver to become injured by the hepatitis C virus.

Can hepatitis C be cured?

Yes! Hepatitis C is the first curable chronic viral infection.

About one in four people clear hepatitis C on their own, but most people need treatment to cure hepatitis C. If someone doesn’t clear the virus after six months, they have a chronic hepatitis C infection. 

If you have hepatitis C, talk to your nurse or doctor about your treatment options.

• Treatment comes in pill form, has few side effects and is usually taken for eight or 12 weeks.
• For most people, the cost of treatment is covered through public health insurance plans. Private insurance plans may also cover the cost of treatment.

In Ontario, hepatitis C treatment is available at no cost for most people. Talk to your provider or a pharmaceutical patient support program for information about medication coverage. 

Getting cured of hepatitis C can:

• Prevent your liver from becoming more injured.
• Prevents liver failure and reduces your chances of developing liver cancer.
• Improve your liver health over time.
• Improve your quality of life. For example, some people have more energy, better sleep and less body pain after they are cured.

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection. No one is immune to hepatitis C. Even if you have had hepatitis C before, you can get it again if the virus gets into your blood. You will need to be treated again if your body does not clear the virus on its own.