Hepatitis C, Introduction to Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease which is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV): the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver cancer.

It is a blood-borne virus: the most common modes of infection are through exposure to small quantities of blood. which may happen through injection drug use, transfusion of unscreened blood, unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, and blood products and sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood.

Worldwide, an estimated 71 million people are infected with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. A large number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. WHO estimated that in the year 2016, approximately 399 000 people died from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer). Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection, by this reducing the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer, but access to diagnosis and treatment is less. There is currently no effective vaccine against the hepatitis C virus.

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