If you test positive for antibodies to HCV, a follow-up blood test should be done to see if viral material is found in your blood, along with blood tests to check the state of your liver. Approximately 15-25% of people infected with HCV have a mild, brief disease and get rid of the virus completely. In this case, the antibodies to HCV usually remain detectable in the blood but the actual viral material does not. However, most people who get hepatitis C will have HCV infection for a long time, and possibly for the rest of their lives.
How does someone get hepatitis C?
The most common means of transmission is through injection drug use, even if the drug use was many years ago or happened only once. Sharing needles or any drug-related equipment is enough to spread hepatitis C. The risk of getting HCV from a blood transfusion now is extremely low because of the universal testing of all blood donors. Activities such as tattooing and body piercing, which may be performed without sterile precautions, or sharing toothbrushes and razors with an infected person can also spread the hepatitis C virus. The risk of getting HCV infection through ordinary household or workplace interactions is extremely low.
