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Hepatitis C is recognized as the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States. This virus is primarily spread through blood-to-blood contact, and its prevalence has increased in recent decades, particularly among individuals engaging in intravenous drug use. Many people infected with hepatitis C may not show symptoms for years, leading to a high number of undiagnosed cases.

In contrast, while hepatitis A and hepatitis B are also liver infections, they have significantly different transmission routes and prevalence rates. Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route and does not lead to chronic infection. Hepatitis B can cause chronic illness but is less prevalent in the chronic category compared to hepatitis C. HIV/AIDS, although serious and impactful as an infection, has a different transmission route and is not the most common chronic bloodborne infection.

Thus, the significant impact of hepatitis C on public health, coupled with the factors surrounding its transmission and chronicity, solidifies its status as the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the U.S.