My friend is scared and doesn't know what to do HELP PLEASE!!

we all really dont know how it is transmitted.....can you contract if from kissing, having sex(oral or intercoarse)? She had a vac. for hep b. Does that help her in any way. And last but not least how long should you wait before getting tested if there is a possibility if him infecting me?

[HCA]

No,people don't get it in those ways-the chances are miniscule and I don't know anyone here who claims to have contracted Hep C sexually.
In fact all the members here say how they never passed it on to anyone through sex.
The way nearly everyone gets it is through an intravenous procedure such as shooting up drugs (even just once) or from blood transfusions in the bad old days or overseas.
The Hep B vaccination is irrelevant 'cos it's a different animal.
I'm not sure who you think is at risk because you refer to your friend as both 'him' and 'her',but if it is just a sexual encounter with someone who is not known to have Hep C then there is no particular reason to get tested..

[Bill1954]

The only thing that might change the outcome of sexual transmission is violence/trauma; if blood is present, it might change the outcome… but even this is an inefficient method of transmission.

Bill

[GrandOak]

I'm assuming that your friend has been diagnosed with HCV, and not HBV.  The two are different viruses, particularily in the way that they are transmitted and that a vaccination for HBV, or even HAV, does not protect people from HCV.

In fact, most folks diagnosed with HCV are re-vaccinated for HBV and HAV after being diagnosed as the combination of HCV with either of the others can have a more drastic effect.

They also differ in the way at which they are transmitted.  HCV is strictly a blood bourne virus, which means that there has to be an exchange of blood in order to contract the virus.  HBV on the other hand can be transmitted by an exchange of body fluids.

So one has to come into direct contact with blood that is infected where that blood comes into contact with your blood in some manner, even an open cut or wound, the possibility of contacting the virus is less likely.  Still, if there is any doubt then it does not hurt to be tested to be sure.