 Transmitted by blood to blood contact.
 Not easily sexually transmitted – but risk may be increased if
there is physical trauma (i.e. tears, micro-abrasions, or damage
to the skin) and/or blood present during sex.
 Can cause inflammation of the liver and cell damage leading to
cirrhosis and liver cancer.
 There is no vaccine for HCV.
 Various types of treatments can be used, with some successful
control of the virus reported. However, the treatment for HCV
often has many side effects: depression, nausea and lethargy.
 Up to 80% of persons with HCV have no signs or symptoms.
 25% of people infected with HCV as adults will self-resolve the
virus with their own immune system; 75% will develop chronic
infection.
 Effectiveness of condoms in preventing sexual transmission of
HCV is unknown, but it is biologically plausible that condoms
would be effective.
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 Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
 Liver infection transmitted mainly via fecal-oral contact (i.e. poor
hand washing after contact with anus/feces or oral-anal sex –
“rimming”). The organism must be ingested in order to infect.
 HAV can be asymptomatic or can cause the same symptoms
as HBV and HCV. Usually HAV infections self-resolve and it
seldom causes the kinds of serious consequences as with HBV
or HCV.
 Once a person has developed antibodies for HAV they are
immune for life.
 There is a vaccine for HAV (series of 2 shots).
 Use of latex gloves or dental dams for rimming can reduce
chances for transmission of HAV.
 The three types of Hepatitis mentioned (A, B & C) are not
closely related viruses – their main commonality is that they
attack the liver.
Some viruses like HBV and HAV are usually more acute infections,
meaning they only affect the body for a short period of time (under 6
months) before they self-resolve.
Other viruses are chronic infections that can remain in the body and
affect organs, tissues or cells for a long time. If someone has a
chronic STD infection, they can pass it to others.
Some viruses, like HSV, have acute symptoms (outbreaks with sores)
that come and go, but the virus itself is in the body for life, and is,
therefore, chronic.
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