Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection facts

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes inflammation of the liver.

HCV makes new hepatitis C viruses by infecting the liver, and after many years the liver can become so damaged by hepatitis C that it cannot perform many of the important jobs that it must do to keep us healthy.

A national U. S. survey found that 1.8 percent of Americans – about 3.9 million – have been infected with HCV, of whom most ­ about 2.7 million – are chronically infected with HCV, with many showing no signs or symptoms.

3% of the world's population is infected with HCV, or approximately 170 million people. 90% of HCV patients who are in need of treatment today cannot afford it.

80% of affected people can become chronically infected and risk serious long-term clinical disease including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

8 countries – Bolivia, Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea, Mongolia, Rwanda, and Tanzania – have an HCV prevalence above 10%.

In developing countries, the primary sources of HCV infection include transfusion of blood or blood products from unscreened donors; transfusion of blood products that have not undergone viral inactivation; parenteral exposure to blood through the use of contaminated or adequately sterilized instruments and needles used in medical and dental procedures; the use of unsterilized objects for rituals (e.g. circumcision, scarification), traditional medicine (e.g. blood-letting) or other activities that break the skin (e.g. tattooing, ear or body-piercing); and intravenous drug use. Household or sexual contacts of HCV-infected persons are marginally at risk.

The good news is that, in 1995, a reliable antibody test for HCV was finally implemented nationwide.