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Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a blood borne, infectious, viral disease that causes liver disease. Six different types of the virus (called genotypes) have been identified. Most people in the U.S. who have HCV have genotype 1.
A person becomes infected with HCV as a result of exposure to contaminated blood primarily through needles sticks from a variety of methods such as IV drug use, blood transfusions, body piercing and tattooing, sexual transmission, and others.
People react differently to HCV. Most people don’t have symptoms until they have lived with the disease for many years, causing many people who have HCV to be unaware of their infection. For some people, their liver is injured only mildly. Others develop severe disease and can develop scarring of the liver (called cirrhosis). Many of these patients have an increased risk of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).
The U.S. has a relatively high prevalence rate of ~ 1.3% of its population (~ 4 million) being infected. This is three times higher than the prevalence of HIV in the U.S. Since the inception of specific blood screening and needle sharing programs, incidence has declined sharply. However, an increasing number of patients who have been chronically infected with HCV for more than 15 years will start to show signs and symptoms of advanced liver disease in the coming years.
If you have, or think you may have, HCV, please speak with your doctor. Tests can be performed to determine whether you do have the disease and if so, if it has progressed. It is important to keep all the appointments that your doctor recommends so that he or she can monitor your health.
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