10 Reasons to Get Tested for Hepatitis C

Doctor William C Lloyd Healthgrades Medical Reviewer
Medically Reviewed By William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS
Written By Ellen Greenlaw on November 7, 2020
  • happy group
    Are You At Risk?
    Although millions of Americans have the hepatitis C virus, many don’t know it. This is because you can have hepatitis C for years without having any symptoms. If you fall into any of the following risk groups, talk with your doctor about getting tested.
  • Needles One Milliliter
    1. You’ve Injected Drugs
    Hepatitis C is spread from the blood of an infected person to another. This makes using needles a major risk factor. If you’ve injected drugs, get tested, even if you did it only once or it was a long time ago.
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    2. You Have HIV or AIDS
    About one-quarter of people with HIV/AIDS also have hepatitis C. And if you have HIV or AIDS, hepatitis C may damage your liver more quickly or severely. This makes it even more important to get tested.
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    3. You’re a Baby Boomer
    You have a higher risk of hepatitis C if you were born between 1945 and 1965. More than 75% of people with hepatitis C were born during these years. Doctors think this is because many baby boomers were exposed in the 1970s and 1980s—when rates of hepatitis C were highest.
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    4. You Received Blood Before 1992
    Blood and organ donations were not screened for the hepatitis C virus until 1992. So if you received a blood or organ donation before this date, you could be at risk.
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    5. You Are on Hemodialysis
    There have been cases in which hepatitis C was spread between patients in hemodialysis centers. Although this risk is small, talk with your doctor about getting tested for hepatitis C if you’re on long-term hemodialysis.
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    6. You Have an Abnormal Liver Test
    Many people first learn they have hepatitis C from an abnormal liver function test. An abnormal test doesn’t always mean you have hepatitis C (or other viruses that attack the liver), but in some cases that can be the cause.
  • Doctor pointing at model liver
    7. You Have Liver Disease
    Hepatitis C may be the cause of your liver disease. If this is the case, it’s important to know so you can talk with your doctor about treatment. Treatment for hepatitis C can slow down or stop the damage to your liver and prolong your life.
  • Close-up of businessman holding briefcase
    8. You’ve Been Exposed to Blood at Work
    You may be at risk if you are a healthcare worker and are accidentally stuck with a needle used on a person with hepatitis C. You may also have a small risk if you’re exposed to blood in other ways, such as getting it splashed in your eyes. If you have any type of accident that involves blood, get tested.
  • Mother and Daughters
    9. Your Mother Had Hepatitis C at Your Birth
    If your mother had hepatitis C when you were born, there’s a chance you may have it, too. While it’s not common for women to pass the virus to their babies, it is possible. If your mother also had HIV at the time of your birth, your risk is a bit higher.
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    10. You’ve Been Intimate With Someone Who Has Hepatitis C
    In rare cases, hepatitis C is spread through sex. The risk is low, but it’s higher if you have HIV or another sexually transmitted disease. You may also have a higher risk if you have rough sex or many sexual partners.
Should You Get Tested for Hepatitis C?
  1. Hepatitis C FAQs for health professionals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/hcvfaq.htm
  2. Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/c/cfaq.htm
  3. Hepatitis C: Information on testing and diagnosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/pdfs/hepctesting-diagnosis.pdf
  4. Hepatitis C: Why baby boomers should get tested. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/knowmorehepatitis/Media/PDFs/FactSheet-boomers.pdf
  5. HIV/AIDS: Making the connection. National Prevention Information Network. http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/hiv/connect.asp
  6. What you should know about infectious diseases: A guide for hemodialysis patients and their families. National Kidney Foundation.  http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/what_infectdiseases.cfm
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Last Review Date: 2020 Nov 7
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.