The hepatitis C virus is spread from contact with contaminated blood. The reason for the higher hepatitis C infection rate in baby boomers is not entirely clear. It may be linked to the fact that, before 1992, blood screening tests for hepatitis were not as reliable as they are now. So, it was possible to get the virus through a blood transfusion or an organ transplant without knowing it.Some people may have become infected with hepatitis C by sharing contaminated needles when injecting drugs. This can happen even if a person comes in contact with an infected needle only once. In many people, it is not possible to know how they became infected. No matter what the source of a hepatitis C infection, it is critical that it be detected.