Transmission: Hepatitis C is mainly spread through blood-to-blood contact. In rare cases, it can be transmitted through certain sexual practices and during childbirth.
Prevention: There is no vaccination for hepatitis C. It is therefore necessary to reduce risk of exposure, by avoiding sharing needles and other items such as toothbrushes, razors or nail scissors with an infected person. It is also wise to avoid getting tattoos or body piercings from unlicensed facilities.
Treatment: Treatment for chronic hepatitis C aims to eradicate the virus. It often involves a combination of PEGylated interferon and ribavirin, and there is increasing use of potent direct acting antiviral drugs, with and without interferon. People with different genotypes respond differently to treatment, some more successfully than others
