Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a bloodborne pathogen that targets and infects the liver. Transmission occurs only when the blood of an infected person enters the bloodstream of another individual. HCV is relatively stable compared to many other viruses, meaning it can remain infectious outside a host body for a significant period under the right conditions. Understanding this survivability is important when handling materials potentially exposed to infected blood.
How Long Hepatitis C Survives on Surfaces
Scientific studies show that the hepatitis C virus can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces for an extended period. At typical room temperatures, the virus can survive in dried blood for a minimum of 16 hours and potentially for up to six weeks in optimal laboratory settings. However, the risk of infection decreases sharply as the time outside the body increases, especially within the first few hours.
The longevity of the virus depends heavily on several environmental factors. A larger volume of blood provides a protective layer that shields the virus from degradation. Lower temperatures also contribute to prolonged survival, while higher temperatures accelerate the virus’s breakdown.
When considering fabrics like clothing, the material’s porous nature allows it to absorb the blood. This absorption can protect the viral particles from air exposure and desiccation, potentially maintaining infectivity longer than on a smooth surface. However, most studies demonstrating the longest survival times were conducted on hard surfaces under controlled laboratory conditions, which may not perfectly reflect real-world scenarios involving fabric.
Understanding the Risk of Transmission from Clothing
The presence of the virus on a surface does not automatically equate to a high risk of infection. Hepatitis C transmission requires a direct blood-to-blood exchange, meaning contaminated blood must find a way into the other person’s bloodstream. The virus cannot pass through intact skin or be transmitted through casual contact like hugging, kissing, or sharing items such as cups or food.
For transmission to occur from an item of clothing, a relatively fresh, visible amount of infected blood must be on the fabric. That blood would then need to directly contact an open cut, wound, or mucous membrane of another person.
The primary mode of HCV transmission involves sharing needles or injection equipment, which ensures direct, high-volume blood-to-blood contact. Transmission from clothing or other environmental objects, referred to as fomite transmission, is considered extremely rare. This requires the clothing to be heavily soiled with blood, and the virus must still be infectious when transferred directly into a new host’s circulatory system.
Guidelines for Cleaning Contaminated Items
When handling clothing or other items with visible blood stains, take specific precautions to eliminate potential risk. Always wear disposable rubber or latex gloves before touching the contaminated material. If the item is heavily soiled, the contaminated area should first be blotted carefully with disposable paper towels to remove as much visible blood as possible.
Standard washing practices are highly effective at inactivating the virus. Using a regular laundry detergent is sufficient, but washing the item in hot water provides an added layer of disinfection. The combination of detergent chemicals, heat, and agitation effectively destroys the viral structure, rendering it non-infectious.
If the fabric is colorfast, adding a chlorine bleach product to the wash cycle provides maximum disinfection against HCV. For items that cannot be bleached, an approved laundry disinfectant can be used as directed by the product label. All contaminated disposable materials, such as paper towels and gloves, should be sealed in a plastic bag and disposed of properly.