Prisons breeding ground for Hep C: guard

Australian jails are a potential breeding ground for Hepatitis C, a former prison officer has told a Senate inquiry.

Ross Hannah says Australia could be gearing up for a tidal wave of liver transplants if more effort isn't put into preventing illicit drugs and syringes entering jails.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that causes inflammation and pain in the liver.

Mr Hannah said needle stick injuries were a growing threat to prison guards during cell searches.

It was common for prisoners to give themselves tattoos using ball point pens and this could also contribute to the disease's spread.

Syringes were increasingly a weapon of choice for armed robberies, Mr Hannah said.

"Not everyone has access to firearms, but syringes create the right amount of fear in the victim," he told a Senate inquiry hearing in Canberra on Friday.