Is hepatitis C communicable?

Transmission can occur through shared needles or other equipment that has blood on it, unsterile medical or cosmetic instruments, or contact with blood through an open wound. Sexual transmission is less common but can occur, particularly when blood exposure is possible. A person can carry hepatitis C without feeling unwell, so appearance and symptoms cannot establish whether transmission has occurred.

Hepatitis C is not spread by hugging, sharing food or drinks, coughing, sneezing, or using the same toilet. The condition itself may cause fatigue, although many people have no early symptoms. Read more about [Hepatitis C](/conditions/hepatitis-c/) and [Fatigue](/symptoms/fatigue/).

Arrange a medical assessment if your blood may have contacted another person’s blood, or if you may have been exposed through a shared injection or unsterile procedure. Testing may involve an antibody test followed by a test that looks for current virus. Do not donate blood while an exposure is being assessed, and avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes, needles, or other items that could carry blood. A [GP Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/gp-consultation/) can help plan the right tests. A [Liver Function Test](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/liver-function-test/) may assess liver health but cannot by itself diagnose hepatitis C.

Contact a clinician promptly after a known blood exposure, especially if the skin was broken or a needle was involved. Seek urgent medical help for yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe vomiting, confusion, unusual sleepiness, severe abdominal swelling, or bleeding that does not stop. These symptoms can have several causes and need assessment; they do not prove that hepatitis C is present.

Ask which tests are appropriate and when they should be taken after the exposure. You can also ask whether liver tests are needed, how to protect household members from blood contact, and what follow-up is required if an initial result is unclear.