No! You are not a leper! Hepatitis C infection can only occur if the blood of an infected person is able to enter another persons body. It is the blood that is infectious, not the person.
You cannot transmit hepatitis C by touching, kissing, hugging or sharing cutlery and crockery.
Am I sexually infectious?
The risk of sexual transmission is a much debated subject but generally accepted as low as 1 per cent, much lower than many other identified transmission routes for hepatitis C. Naturally, choices about sexual behaviour are very personal and some couples decide that such a low risk is acceptable and continue to have unprotected sex, other couples however, decide to only have protected sex.
Unprotected sexual intercourse could pose a risk. However, the risk of sexual transmission in the absence of any blood contact in a monogamous relationship is considered very small. The risk of sexual transmission is increased if blood is present or if you have multiple sexual partners, or other sexually transmitted diseases. In addition sexual transmission is increased if the person with hepatitis C also has HIV.
click here to read research done on sexual transmission.
Can I transmit hepatitis C in other ways?
Sharing razor blades, nail scissors, toothbrushes, hair clippers etc. pose a theoretical risk. If you cut yourself or somehow got your blood on any of these implements, there is a chance that someone else using them may become infected if they injure themselves and break their skin (e.g. a cut). The same could also arguably be applied to sharing towels, for example, it is feasible that you may get blood on a towel that was then used by someone who dries their hands with an open wound.
It seems that HCV can live outside the body in dried blood for varying levels of time, perhaps anything up to a few weeks. However by taking a few simple steps to protect those around you, you can easily eliminate these potential risks to others.
It is also possible for a pregnant woman with hepatitis C to transmit the virus to her child. See "Mother to baby" section under risk factors.
