Which hepatitis virus is described as more contagious than HIV?

• A. Hepatitis A
• B. Hepatitis C
• C. Hepatitis B
• D. HIV

Answer: (C)

Hepatitis B is the one described as more contagious than HIV. It’s highly infectious through blood and body fluids and can be transmitted by sexual contact, needle sharing, or from mother to baby. HBV can survive outside the body for several days and remain infectious, which makes per-exposure spread more likely than with HIV. In comparison, Hepatitis A is mainly spread by the fecal-oral route and isn’t a major concern for bloodborne transmission in healthcare settings, and Hepatitis C, while bloodborne, is less contagious per exposure than HBV. HIV is transmissible but has lower per-exposure infectivity and is less stable outside the body.