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Prevention of hepatitis C
There are effective ways to prevent hepatitis and unnecessary measures. For example, kissing, hugging, and holding hands does not spread the infection, and avoiding this type of contact does nothing to prevent the spread of the disease. Breastfeeding is also safe in these cases, and it does not spread through sneezing or coughing.
There is not a vaccine currently available to prevent hepatitis C. However, we can reduce the chance of infection by adopting safety measures against transmission modes mentioned above. Do not share needles and avoid sharing personal items such as razors or a toothbrush. Get tested if you’re pregnant, and make sure that you’re with a licensed technician if you ever get a tattoo or a body piercing.
After a new patient is detected with the hepatitis C virus, secondary prevention aims to reduce the chance of disease progression in cirrhosis and liver cancer. These patients should abstain from alcoholic beverages. They should understand that, even if the transmission rate from sexual intercourse is low, there is always a risk of passing down the disease to their sexual partners. Thus, safe sex is recommended, and any sharing of personal items should be avoided. These patients are not candidates for blood or organ donations, except if the transplant recipient also has hepatitis C.
