(EDITORS NOTE: October is National Liver Awareness Month and Oct. 18-24 is National Hepatitis Awareness Week)
Q Is it possible to get hepatitis, or any other diseases, from tattooing? K.M., Tucson
A Any time the skin is broken there is a potential risk that hepatitis B and C viruses can come in contact with your blood and cause infection.
Sharing any item that can cause bleeding--including tattoo or piercing needles, even toothbrushes or razors--potentially may transmit hepatitis and other bloodborne illnesses from one person to another if the item isn't properly sterilized after use. In the case of tattoos, transmission also may occur if the same ink is used on more than one customer .
While you can protect yourself from hepatitis B by getting a vaccine, no vaccines are available for hepatitis C and people can have the virus for years without symptoms. Hepatitis C causes chronic liver disease and is the most common reason for liver transplants. People who donated blood for hepatitis C began in the United States) are at greater risk of carrying the virus.
There also is a potential risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS. While the long incubation period of AIDS makes it difficult to document HIV transmission by tattooing, HIV conceivably could be transmitted between customers if needles aren't properly sterilized.
Before getting a tattoo, check that cleaning products and sterilizing equipment, such as an autoclave, are used by the tattooist. Afterward, if the tattoo shows signs of infection (pain, redness, swelling, the presence of pus), see a health care professional for treatment.
If the tattooist follows proper cleanliness and sterilization procedures -- and the customer takes proper care of the tattoo in the days following the procedure while the skin is healing -- the risk of contracting any kind of blood-borne illness is minimal. —Eskild Petersen, M.D., chief, infectious diseases section, Department of Medicine, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson
Editors Note: ASK AHSC is published by the AHSC Office of Public Affairs. ASK AHSC is available on the Internet at www.ahsc.arizona.edu/opa/answers. To receive ASK AHSC via E-mail, call (520) 626-7301.
Health questions should be sent to: ASK AHSC, AHSC Office of Public Affairs, PO Box 245095, Tucson, AZ 85724-5095, or E-mail to: jspinell@u.arizona.edu. The information here is not intended to replace the advice of your physician. For referral to a UA Physician, please call University Health Connection, (520) 694-8888.
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