Who is affected by hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States. It affects at least 4 million people in the U.S. and 175 million people worldwide.
It is not always clear how a person becomes infected with hepatitis C. However, it is estimated that:
- Between 60% and 90% of people who get hepatitis C are those who have been repeatedly exposed to infected blood. These include injection drug users and people with hemophilia who were treated with blood clotting factor concentrates before 1987.
- Between 10% and 20% of people who have received hemodialysis for kidney problems are infected with hepatitis C.
- Less than 5% of people are infected because of high-risk sexual behavior.
- About 1% of people, such as health care workers, become infected through accidental exposure to infected blood.1
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS | Last Updated: August 27, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology | |
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