80% of persons have no signs or symptoms

SYMPTOMS: jaundice, fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain , loss of appetite, nausea

HCV is spread through sharing needles or "works" when "shooting" drugs, through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or from an infected mother to her baby during birth.

Deaths from chronic liver disease: 1%-5% of infected persons may die

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.

Do not share personal care items that might have blood on them (razors, toothbrushes).

Consider the risks if you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body piercing. You might get infected if the tools have someone else's blood on them or if the artist or piercer does not follow good health practices.

Combination therapy can get rid of the virus in up to 5 out of 10 persons for genotype 1 and in up to 8 out of 10 persons for genotype 2 and 3. 

Drinking alcohol can make your liver disease worse.

Number of new infections per year has declined from an average of 240,000 in the 1980s to about 26,000 in 2004.

Much like HIV and AIDS, it lasts a lifetime, and kills slowly - giving the virus plenty of time to spread.

Hepatitis C is believed to be transmitted only by blood

virtually any source of blood or blood products seems to be capable of carrying the virus, even if the source is indirect - like a used razor, for example. This makes hepatitis C far more transmissible than most other blood borne viruses - including HIV.

. Disorders of the thyroid, intestine, eyes, joints, blood, spleen, kidneys and skin may occur in about 20% of patients. Primary liver cancer can also develop from hepatitis C, a late risk factor which seems to be present 30 years or so after infection.

HCV is not spread by sneezing, hugging, coughing, food or water, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, or casual contact.

Less than 3% might die from the consequences of long term infection (liver cancer or cirrhosis) Hepatitis C is a leading reason for liver transplan

treatment for Hepatitis C which includes a longer-acting form of interferon has been found to cure more patients and cause less side effects This is a 50/50 chance