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How is Hepatitis C Spread?

Hepatitis C is most commonly spread through:

• Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs
• Needle stick injuries in health care settings

Less commonly, an individual can become infected by:

• Being born to a mother with hepatitis C
• Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
• Sexual contact with a person infected with the hepatitis C virus. Risk of sexual contact increases if an individual has multiple sexual partners, HIV or another sexually transmitted infection (STI) or participates in rough sex.
• Tattoos or piercings when poor infection-control practices are used.