Prevention and hepatitis C vaccination

Currently, there is no effective vaccine against the hepatitis C virus.

Preventing hepatitis C involves reducing your risk of exposure to the virus. This is something everyone should do by being blood aware.

That means assuming that any blood contains potential viruses and reducing the risk of being exposed to someone else’s blood.

To reduce the risk of hepatitis C transmission when injecting drugs it’s important that you do not share or re-use needles, tourniquets, spoons, swabs, water or any other equipment, even when no blood is visible. You can also:

• label or mark your syringe.
• thoroughly wash your hands in warm soapy water before and immediately after injecting (if this is impossible, use single wipes with new swabs instead)
• do not recap someone else’s needles
• manage sharps in a safe manner by disposing of all equipment in an approved disposal container (available from your needle and syringe program).
• Access clean needles through a needle and syringe exchange (NSP)
• Utilise the medically supervised injection rooms (MSIR)

If you’re considering a piercing or a tattoo, or using beauty services, make sure your practitioner uses infection control precautions. It’s particularly important to check these things if you’re getting a tattoo or piercing overseas.

Tips for choosing a body art studio

• Look for a Certificate of Registration from the local Council
• Check that benches, sinks and other work areas are clean
• Ask questions:
• • What type of needles used?
  • If they reuse needles, how they are sterilised?
  • Are new disposable gloves used with each client?
  • Does equipment come from sterile containers or bags?
  • Is pre-packed sterile equipment opened in front of clients
  • Are small separate containers of ink used for each client or do they use one large container for all clients?

Some tattoo shops may ask their clients to disclose their hepatitis C status. This practice is unlawful, and you should not feel obliged to disclose your status if you don’t want to. It’s the responsibility of the practitioner to practice infection control precautions for every customer.

If you have hepatitis C and are thinking of falling pregnant, you should be treated and cured first. Treatment is not recommended while you’re pregnant.¹

If you have hepatitis C it’s recommended you inform those involved in the birth (such as midwives, doctors, etc.). This will ensure, that adequate precautions can be taken to reduce risk of exposure to medical practitioners and other people during the birth. Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to hepatitis C in the past may also wish to be tested prior to delivery.

Delivery techniques may be slightly modified to minimise the risk of transmission of hepatitis C from mother to baby during the birth, or to other people. Caesarean delivery is not recommended to reduce transmission.¹

While hepatitis C cannot be transmitted through breastmilk, if a mother with the virus has cracked or bleeding nipples, it’s recommended they express and discard the milk until healing has occurred.