Hepatitis C is a liver disease that is caused by infection with
the hepatitis C virus, a virus that lives in your liver cells.
How it spreads You cannot get hepatitis C from casual contact
such as hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or
water with someone. You can get hepatitis C if you come into
contact with the blood of someone who has hepatitis C. The most
common way to get hepatitis C is by sharing needles and other
equipment (such as cotton, spoons, and water) used to inject
illegal drugs. Before 1992, people could get hepatitis C through
blood transfusions and organ transplants. Since 1992, all
donated blood and organs are screened for hepatitis C, so it is
now rare to get the virus this way. In rare cases, a mother with
hepatitis C spreads the virus to her baby at birth, or a health
care worker is accidentally exposed to blood that is infected
with hepatitis C. Experts aren't sure whether you can get
hepatitis C through sexual contact. If there is a risk of
getting the virus through se