Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV infection sometimes results in an acute illness, but most often becomes a chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. The CDC estimates that there are currently over 4 million people infected in the US, of which less than 25% have been diagnosed. The virus is transmitted when a person comes into contact with the blood of an infected person, primarily through sharing contaminated needles to inject drugs. Currently, there is no vaccine.