Who is at risk for hepatitis C?

According to the CDC, the following people are at increased risk for hepatitis C:

• People who use injection drugs or did so in the past, even those who injected only once many years ago;
• People with HIV infection;
• People with certain medical conditions, including those who ever received maintenance hemodialysis and those with persistently abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (an enzyme found within liver cells);
• People who have received transfusions or organ transplants, including those who:
  • Received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987,
  • Received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July 1992,
  • Received an organ transplant before July 1992, or
  • Were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C virus infection;
• Healthcare, emergency medical, and public safety personnel who have been exposed to the blood of someone who has hepatitis C (through needlesticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures); and
• Children born to mothers who have hepatitis C.