About Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease that is caused by the hepatitis C Virus (HCV). It is the most common cause of chronic hepatitis in the U.S. and may eventually lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. The disease is transmitted by contact with HCV-infected blood. A large majority of those infected do not show symptoms, but fatigue, abdominal pain and nausea can be common. The current standard treatment of care, peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, is effective in about half of all patients treated. According to the Centers for Disease Control, HCV infection affects an estimated 4.1 million Americans.