Finding out about hep C will help you plan for the future. Our Hep C Action Newsletter Program can help guide you through testing and treatment.
Are You at Risk?
Since someone may have the hep C virus in their blood and not experience symptoms for decades after infection, testing and treatment are vital. Many people don’t know how they got the virus. That’s not surprising considering that you can get hep C in many ways, including events you may not think of as dangerous, or even remember.
Think about any of the risk factors* below that may apply to you.
If you would like an interactive customizable checklist, click here.
- Drug use
- Using injection drugs (even once or a few times many years ago)
- Inhaling narcotics
- If you have tattoos and body piercings…
- Were they done outside the United States?
- Were they done more than 10 years ago?
- Were they done in an unlicensed business?
- Are you unsure whether the ink was individually wrapped?
- Did you get sick or feel ill in the days or weeks afterwards?
- Military service
- I have served in the military and was born before 1966.
- Workplace
- I have worked in a healthcare or emergency medical setting.
- I have worked in a public safety field (police, fire, etc).
- People
- My mother had or may have had hep C when I was born.
- I lived with or had a relationship with someone who I knew had hep C or was an IV drug user.
- I lived with or had a relationship with someone who may have had hep C or used IV drugs.
- Medical conditions
- I was notified that I received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hep C.
- I was notified by the Red Cross that my blood donation tested positive.
- I received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
- I have been on long-term dialysis.
- I received clotting factor concentrates before 1987.
* This is not intended to be a complete list of risk factors.
