Hepatitis C

Overview

Spread through blood contamination, hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation and can lead to serious liver damage.

Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections in addition to oral medications that many individuals couldn’t take due to other health problems or unacceptable side effects. But today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken daily for two to six months.

Still, about half of people with HCV are unaware that they’re infected, mainly because symptoms can take decades to appear. Therefore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time screening test for anyone at increased risk. Individuals born between 1945 and 1965 are five times more likely to be infected compared to other age groups.