You might get infected if the tools have someone else's blood on them or if the artist or piercer does not follow good health practices. HCV can be spread by sex, but this is rare. If you are having sex with more than one steady sex partner, use condoms correctly and every time to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. If you are HCV positive, do not donate blood, organs, or tissue. Interferon and ribavirin are two drugs licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis C. Interferon can be taken alone or in combination with ribavirin.
Combination therapy is currently the treatment of choice.
Combination therapy can get rid of the virus in up to 4 out of 10 persons. Drinking alcohol can make your liver disease worse. Most infections are due to illegal injection drug use. All information presented in these pages and all items available for download are for public use.