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Blood exposure through inadequately sterilized needles is a recognized route by which hepatitis C can spread. The World Health Organization identifies exposure to infected blood, including unsafe injections and shared needles, as important routes of transmission. Sexual transmission can also occur, particularly when sexual practices involve exposure to blood, although the risk varies according to circumstances. Hepatitis C is not spread through ordinary casual contact such as hugging, sharing meals or simply being near someone with the infection. These distinctions are important because hepatitis C has historically carried stigma that is not supported by how the virus is actually transmitted. Anderson herself spoke in the early 2000s about wanting greater awareness and less stigma surrounding the disease.
In the years following her diagnosis, Anderson continued receiving medical monitoring. During a 2005 interview with Larry King, she said she was being tested annually and that her doctors had not yet recommended the available hepatitis C medications for her at that time. She described herself as feeling healthy despite still carrying the infection. This reflects the medical reality that chronic hepatitis C can remain present even when a person feels generally well. Symptoms alone are not a reliable way to determine whether the virus is causing liver damage. Laboratory testing and clinical assessment are needed to understand the infection and its effects.
By 2010, Anderson was still publicly saying that she had hepatitis C. During another interview with Larry King, she confirmed that the infection remained present and said she continued to undergo regular checkups. She also said she had considerable energy and felt well at that point. Her comments demonstrated how a chronic viral infection can coexist with periods of apparently normal everyday health. Feeling well does not necessarily mean the virus has disappeared, which is why medical monitoring is important. Anderson would remain infected until treatment options advanced significantly several years later.