Persons at low to medium risk include persons who have multiple sexual partners, sexual partners of people with hepatitis C and children born to women with hepatitis C. TOP OF PAGE Aetiology and epidemiology Hepatitis C is caused by an RNA flavivirus. Transmission is predominantly by percutaneous contact with infected blood or blood products.
Sexual transmission occurs at a low frequency.
Incubation is 4 to 20 weeks, commonly 6 to 9 weeks. HCV Ab test is usually positive within 3 months of exposure, but can take up to six months. It is notifiable throughout Australia. During recent years there have been about 20,000 notifications per year. This does not indicate incident cases but reflects the trends in testing and identifying infected persons.