A nurse is reinforcing teaching to a client who has a new diagnosis of hepatitis C. Which of the following responses from the nurse best explains how a person can become infected with the virus?

Brief Introduction: Hepatitis C is a parenterally transmitted viral infection that causes chronic hepatic inflammation and potential fibrosis. The virus primarily replicates within hepatocytes, often remaining asymptomatic for decades until progressing to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, with a high prevalence among individuals with history of intravenous exposure. Rationale: A. Alcohol consumption causes direct toxic hepatotoxicity and can accelerate the progression of existing liver damage. However, alcohol is a chemical toxin rather than an infectious pathogen, and it cannot transmit the viral ribonucleic acid necessary to cause a hepatitis C infection. B. Hepatitis C is primarily a bloodborne pathogen transmitted through percutaneous exposure to contaminated blood. Sharing equipment for injection drug use is the most common vector, as the virus can survive on surfaces and within syringes for several weeks outside the host. C. Unlike hepatitis B, the transmission of hepatitis C through saliva or casual contact is clinically negligible. While the virus can be found in low concentrations in some bodily secretions, it requires direct blood-to-blood contact to achieve a sufficient viral load for successful host infection. D. Transmission through the fecal-oral route is characteristic of hepatitis A and E, which are typically spread through contaminated water or food. Hepatitis C is not an enterically transmitted virus and cannot be contracted by consuming food prepared by an infected individual.