With new treatments helping to reduce HIV cases, Hepatitis C is seeing a resurgence in the Southern Tier.

One of the main reasons for this: injecting drugs and sharing the equipment.

The Southern Tier AIDS Program says research shows Hepatitis C affects mostly middle-aged people. But as drug use -- namely, opiates -- becomes more popular, it's now prevalent among those in their late 20s and early 30s.

"It's a very strong virus," said STAP Executive Director John Barry. "It lives for a long time outside the body, and it's easy to transmit it."

Barry said there are ways to prevent it, including syringe exchanges and using new equipment for each injection.