FAQ's
Is Hepatitis C a sexually transmitted disease?
Can you get hepatitis C from kissing, coughing and sneezing?
Can Mosquito's pass on hepatitis C?
Can you be re-infected with hepatitis C?
Is Hepatitis C a sexually transmitted disease?
Hepatitis C is a blood borne virus and NOT a sexually transmitted disease. In order for hepatitis C to be transmitted through sexual contact, there has to be blood-to-blood contact (i.e.: anal sex, menstruation).
Can you get hepatitis C from kissing, coughing and sneezing?
Hepatitis C is not passed on through social contact. Hugging, kissing, sharing food (or drinks, plates and eating utensils), sneezing, coughing, laundry and toilet facilities will NOT transmit hepatitis C.
Can Mosquito's pass on hepatitis C?
Mosquitoes or other insects do NOT transmit hepatitis C. When a mosquito bites a person it injects salivary fluid through one passage and sucks blood through a different passage. Blood goes directly to a mosquito's stomach where it gets broken down.
Can you be re-infected with hepatitis C?
Clearing the virus does NOT give you immunity; you can get infected again There are approximately 12 different strains of the hepatitis C virus, and whilst you are infected with one genotype, nothing is stopping you from getting infected with any of the others.
Being infected with two strains increases the chances of developing liver complications. can hve hepatitis C and not feel sick
Many people will not realize that they have hepatitis C. On average people do not know that have hepatitis C until 10 - 13 years after infection. When first infected only 5% of people experience any signs of notable illness. Hepatitis C can live in the body for years without causing symptoms.
Those that do have symptoms may experience :
During the acute infection(the first 6 months) people may experience fatigue, lethargy, nausea, abdominal discomfort, depression, back pain and dark urine.
Chronic infection (ongoing for more than 6 months) symptoms of chronic infection may include tiredness, nausea and feeling ill after drinking alcohol or eating fatty foods. Chronic infection with Hepatitis C may lead to liver damage.
The hepatitis C virus can be transmitted in microscopic amounts of blood.
Hepatitis C can be passed through blood invisible to the human eye . Unlike HIV the hepatitis C virus can be passed in minute amounts of blood. It is more resilient than HIV and can live longer outside the body.