Although the blood-borne transmission of Hepatitis B and C is established, it is also possible to contract the virus through small, often inadvertent contact with infected blood.
Published Jul 28, 2025 | 7:22 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 28, 2025 | 7:22 PM
Hepatitis B immunisation is among the most effective approaches to prevent transmission.
Synopsis: Hepatitis B and C, however, remain silent killers whose prevalence is no less a grave threat to public health, as the viruses often do not present with symptoms, nor does the exposure itself. More actions towards the elimination of these silent killers are being realized by educating about the lesser-known modes of transmission and reinforcing the value of screening, sterilization, and vaccination.
Although the majority of individuals connect Hepatitis B and C with unsafe sex or contaminated blood transfusions, the reality is otherwise, and more frightening. These viruses have a reputation for causing silent, chronic effects on the liver, going unnoticed for years. What makes them so feared, however, is the set of lesser-known means of transmission that continue to expose many without them even realising it.
Although the blood-borne transmission of Hepatitis B and C is established, it is also possible to contract the virus through small, often inadvertent contact with infected blood. These are the reuse of unsterilized needles, sharing personal belongings such as razors or toothbrushes, or getting a tattoo or piercing in unlicensed establishments. These concealed pathways are dangerous specifically because they tend to go unnoticed by public perception and individual vigilance.
Yes, they could be risky, particularly when hygiene practices are poor. Devices that touch skin, such as razors, nail clippers, or scissors, may harbor microscopic blood traces. If such devices are not thoroughly sterilised between clients, there is a tiny but real risk of passing on blood-borne diseases like Hepatitis B and C. The public has to select service providers who openly demonstrate high standards of cleanliness, e.g., using disposable blades and cleaned tools.
Mother-child transmission of Hepatitis B during delivery is a continuing concern in India. Screening and immunisation guidelines have progressed over the decades, but weaknesses persist, particularly in rural or underprivileged environments. Universal screening of pregnant women and immunisation of newborns with the Hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin within 24 hours of birth can go a long way in lessening this risk, but regular application is crucial.
Healthcare professionals are at well-documented risk of accidental needle-stick exposure. Despite better safety standards and public awareness, there remains a prevalent underreporting of such accidents. There is a need for regular training, safer needles, and post-exposure prophylaxis to ensure protection for healthcare providers from occupational infection.
Contrary to Hepatitis A and E, Hepatitis B and C are not generally spread by contaminated food or water. Yet this difference has not been fully grasped by the population as a whole, and so there are widely-held misconceptions that can cause either undue alarm or perilous complacency. Proper education of the public regarding routes of transmission is essential to the dismantling of this web of misinformation.
Dialysis patients or diabetic patients are at risk because they are exposed frequently to needles and blood glucose monitoring equipment, and also because of their compromised immunity. They should be screened frequently for Hepatitis B and C, and it should be ensured that all medical equipment applied to them is disposable or thoroughly sterilized. Hepatitis B immunization is typically highly recommended for these patients.
Even with escalating urbanization and information access, knowledge on these silent transmission pathways is unexpectedly low. Numerous individuals, even amongst well-educated urban dwellers, believe they are not susceptible merely because they don’t practice “high-risk” behaviour. Lack of regular screening and cultural reluctance towards talking about hepatitis also takes their toll on such awareness.
Hepatitis B immunisation is among the most effective approaches to prevent transmission. Although newborn immunisation is included in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme, the majority of adolescents and adults who were missed in the early vaccination efforts continue to be at risk. Scaling up adult vaccination, particularly among the high-risk and frontline populations, is critical to interrupting the silent chain of transmission.
Hepatitis B and C, however, remain silent killers whose prevalence is no less a grave threat to public health, as the viruses often do not present with symptoms, nor does the exposure itself. More actions towards the elimination of these silent killers are being realized by educating about the lesser-known modes of transmission and reinforcing the value of screening, sterilization, and vaccination.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
