Hepatitis C

In order to understand the risk factors and to determine whether a person has been exposed to risk, we first need to clarify that in order to allow transmission of the virus, the following factors must co-exist simultaneously.

• First, the virus must be able to intrude into the body.
• Second, the virus must be present in considerable amounts during contact.
• Third, apart from the quantitative aspect, the virus must also be of a certain quality.

While blood is not the only body fluid that may contain the hepatitis C virus, it is here that the virus is found in the highest concentrations; therefore, even a small amount of blood is enough for infection with the virus to occur.

 Moreover, the virus can survive in dried blood on any surface at room temperature for 16 hours up to 4 days.

 However, it can survive for longer periods of time in restricted environments, such as the inside of a syringe