Hep C is contagious, and is transmitted through blood transfusions, needle sharing and sex. Interestingly, Hep C seems not to be efficiently transmitted by sex among men, and may be more easily transmitted heterosexually. We do not understand how this works. In any event, the risk of getting infected from a single encounter is low, but not zero. In contrast, needle sharing is very efficient, and people can get infected who have shot up a single time.
Testing is fairly straightforward.
Talk to your doctor and get tested. Even if you are infected, only about 1 in 5 persons with Hep C ends up with very serious liver disease. Treatment is available, and you can read more about it on the Hepatitis forum. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.