Get Tested

In this section, we learn who should get tested for hepatitis C and how it's spread from person to person. Later, we'll also discuss the importance of getting tested and where to get tested.

Should I get tested?

Many people do not even know they have hepatitis C, and only through testing can they find out..

It is important to talk to your doctor about getting tested if:

• You are a "baby boomer" born between 1945 and 1965. In 2012 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated screening guidelines recommending all baby boomers be screened once for hepatitis C regardless of risk factors
• You had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
• You have ever experimented with street drugs, even if it was only one time
• You are always feeling overly tired
• You received clotting factor concentrates before 1987
• You were on long-term hemodialysis
• You ever had an abnormal liver enzyme test
• Your birth mother had hepatitis C when you were born
• You have had a tattoo or body piercing
• Your job has exposed you to blood or needle sticks

It's important to understand how hepatitis C is passed from person to person so you can protect yourself and help prevent the spread of the disease. Find out more about Who's at Risk.