The hepatitis viruses vary in how long they can survive at room temperature outside the body:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can survive on environmental surfaces at room temperature for up to 6 weeks. Studies show that HCV remains infectious on dried surfaces for this duration, with infectivity influenced by viral load, temperature, and humidity. At typical room temperature (~22°C), nearly 100% of contaminated spots remained positive for HCV for 3 weeks, and infectivity could persist up to 6 weeks
. In open air, HCV can survive at least 4 days.
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can survive outside the body for at least 7 days on surfaces while still being infectious. In suspension, HBV shows high environmental stability, surviving for several weeks at room temperature and even months at lower temperatures (4°C)
- Hepatitis A virus (HAV) can survive outside the body for months but is not typically transmitted via blood as HBV and HCV are.
In summary, at room temperature, hepatitis C virus can remain viable and potentially infectious on surfaces for up to 6 weeks, hepatitis B virus for at least 7 days, and hepatitis A virus for months. This prolonged survival underscores the importance of strict infection control and proper disinfection to prevent transmission
