Fancy a tattoo? Beware of hepatitis virus

A pair of wings on the back, a butterfly on the ankle or simply a pair of initials on the hand - beautifully designed tattoos are a craze these days. But getting yourself inked can expose you to the dangerous hepatitis B or C virus and even HIV, warn doctors.

Getting a permanent tattoo involves piercing the skin with a needle and injecting coloured ink in different designs. If the needle or the surroundings is infected, then the chances of transmission of the hepatitis virus goes up manifold.

"Tattoos are a potential cause for spreading hepatitis B and C virus, even HIV. While the number of cases is still not very high, we do come across patients who have been infected this way," Ajay Kumar, senior consultant (gastroenterology) at the Indraprastha Apollo hospital, told the media.

"The main risk is if the equipment, which is the needle, is infected and not enough precaution is taken to prevent transmission," he added.

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