AI Summary Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus, spread through contact with infected blood, most often shared needles. Many people have no symptoms for years, so blood tests (an antibody test, then an HCV RNA test) are how it is found. Untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Direct-acting antiviral tablets cure more than 95% of people who complete treatment. Talk to a doctor about testing, especially if you have risk factors.

Hepatitis CHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection

Medically reviewed

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), an RNA virus that attacks liver cells. It spreads mainly through contact with infected blood, most often through shared needles, and can become a chronic infection that damages the liver quietly for years.

Many people have no symptoms until the disease is advanced, so a blood test is often the only way to know you are infected. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. The good news is that hepatitis C is curable: modern antiviral medication cures more than 95% of people who complete treatment. This page explains how the virus spreads, how it is diagnosed and treated, and when to see a doctor.

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About hepatitis C

What Is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), an RNA virus in the flavivirus group. It spreads through contact with contaminated blood, most often through needles and syringes shared by people who inject drugs, and through piercings or tattoos performed in unhygienic conditions.

The infection is widespread worldwide: an estimated 3 to 4 million people are newly infected with hepatitis C each year, and 2% to 3% of the world's population lives with chronic HCV infection. An estimated 2.4 million Americans currently live with chronic hepatitis C.

The hepatitis C virus attacks liver cells almost exclusively, multiplying inside them. When the immune system cannot clear the virus on its own, the infection becomes chronic. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer after years or decades.

The acute form of hepatitis C sometimes clears on its own without treatment. If liver inflammation is also being driven by alcohol or drug use, stopping intake of those substances can help the liver regenerate alongside antiviral treatment.

The average incubation period for hepatitis C is 6 to 9 weeks. Because early infection often causes no symptoms, many people only learn they have hepatitis C through blood testing.

How hepatitis C may feel

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C often causes no symptoms at all, especially in its early stages, and many people don't know they're infected until liver damage is found on routine tests. When symptoms do appear, they can be mild and easy to mistake for something else.

Early Symptoms

Feeling sick or feverish
Fatigue and low energy
Dark urine and pale stools
Jaundice (rare in early stages)
Loss of appetite
Nausea or vomiting
Flu-like symptoms

Later-Stage Symptoms

Joint or muscle discomfort
Depression or anxiety
Neuropathy (nerve pain or tingling)
Dry mouth
Kidney problems
Increased risk of diabetes
Unexplained weight loss
Itching
Easy bruising or bleeding
Spider veins

Getting checked

How Hepatitis C Is Diagnosed

Hepatitis C is diagnosed through blood tests. In some cases, a liver biopsy may also be used to assess how much liver damage has occurred.

Anti-HCV antibody test: A blood test that checks whether your body has ever been exposed to the hepatitis C virus.
HCV RNA test: Confirms whether the virus is still active in your blood after a positive antibody test.
Liver biopsy: A small liver tissue sample, taken with a needle, that can show the severity of liver damage in some cases.

Key Fact About Hepatitis C Testing:

A positive antibody test does not always mean an active infection. An HCV RNA test is needed to confirm the virus is still present.

Learn more about Hepatitis C Testing

Care & treatment

Treatment Overview

Hepatitis C is a curable disease. Modern direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications cure the large majority of people who complete treatment, and treatment is chosen based on the cause and severity of liver damage.

Antiviral Medication

Most people with chronic hepatitis C are treated with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications, taken as oral tablets over a defined course, often 8 to 24 weeks. These medications target the virus directly and are usually combined with other antivirals. The goal is a sustained virologic response (SVR) — undetectable HCV RNA 24 weeks after finishing treatment — which is considered a cure in more than 99% of patients. Since DAA therapies became available, cure rates routinely exceed 95%.

Learn about Harvoni (Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir)Learn about Sovaldi (Sofosbuvir)

Avoiding Alcohol and Drugs During Treatment

If liver inflammation is also being driven by alcohol or drug use, stopping intake of these substances is an important part of treatment and helps the liver regenerate.

Liver Transplant for Advanced Damage

When the liver is damaged beyond recovery, a liver transplant may be performed to replace the liver with a healthy donor liver. A transplant does not cure hepatitis C on its own — the infection can affect the new liver — so antiviral treatment typically continues after transplant.

Key Fact About Hepatitis C Treatment:

Hepatitis C is curable. Direct-acting antiviral therapy achieves sustained virologic response, considered a cure, in more than 99% of patients who complete treatment.

How hepatitis C spreads

Causes & Risk Factors

Hepatitis C spreads through contact with infected blood. It cannot be spread through casual contact like hugging, kissing, sharing food, coughing, or sneezing.

How It Spreads

Sharing needles or syringes to inject drugs
Piercings or tattoos done in poor hygiene conditions
Blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
Being born to a mother with hepatitis C
Dialysis
Sharing razors, toothbrushes, or nail clippers that carry traces of blood
Unprotected sex, especially outside a monogamous relationship

Who Is at Higher Risk

Current or past injection drug use
Healthcare workers who treat hepatitis C patients
HIV-positive status
Receiving a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
Long-term dialysis
Being born between 1945 and 1965 (higher screening priority)

Key Facts Overview:

Hepatitis C is spread only through contact with infected blood, most commonly through shared needles. It is preventable with basic precautions around blood exposure, even though no vaccine exists.

When to get checked

When Should You See a Doctor for Hepatitis C?

Because hepatitis C often causes no symptoms, many people are only diagnosed years after infection, sometimes after liver damage has already occurred. Getting tested early gives antiviral treatment the best chance to work before complications develop.

Who Should Get Tested

Talk to a healthcare provider if you have ever injected drugs, received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992, have been on long-term dialysis, are HIV-positive, or were born to a mother with hepatitis C. One-time screening is also recommended for all adults, regardless of risk factors.

Warning Signs That Need Prompt Evaluation

If you already know you have hepatitis C, seek medical attention promptly for jaundice, abdominal swelling, easy bruising or bleeding, or confusion — these can signal advancing liver damage that needs evaluation.

Getting the Right Specialist Care

A gastroenterologist or hepatologist can confirm your HCV genotype, assess the stage of liver damage, and recommend the antiviral regimen most likely to cure your infection.

Looking for Expert Care?

Find doctors who treat hepatitis C and connect with a specialist near you.

Eating & liver health

Liver-Healthy Diet for Hepatitis C

Diet does not cure hepatitis C. Antiviral medication does. But eating well supports your liver, because every nutrient you consume passes through it. A hepatitis C diet is a balanced, liver-healthy diet. It is low in fat, salt, and refined sugar, and high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Avoid alcohol completely. It limits the liver's ability to process toxins and regenerate. Limit fast food, processed food, sweets, and soft drinks. Eat food that is cooked well, and skip raw foods such as sushi, oysters, and clams.

Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, take your coffee without cream or sugar, and avoid smoking. Needs differ from person to person, so check with your doctor or a dietitian, including about supplements.

Foods That Support Your Liver With Hepatitis C

Fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, tomatoes, asparagus, and green beans
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread
Lean protein, such as chicken, turkey, and salmon
Olive oil and flaxseed oil in place of butter
Omega-3 snacks, such as edamame, homemade kale chips, and blackberries
High-fiber foods, such as bananas and raw unsalted nuts
Well-cooked foods in place of raw shellfish
Plenty of water throughout the day

Common questions

Answers to Common Hepatitis C Question

Is hepatitis C curable?

Yes. Hepatitis C is curable in the large majority of cases. Modern direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications are oral tablets taken for a set course, often 8 to 24 weeks, depending on your hepatitis C genotype, prior treatment, and whether you have cirrhosis. The goal is a sustained virologic response (SVR), meaning no detectable virus in your blood 24 weeks after treatment ends. More than 95% of people who complete treatment reach it. A cure does not protect you from catching the virus again, so continue to avoid blood exposure. Your doctor will choose the regimen that fits you.

Is there a vaccine for hepatitis C?

No. There is currently no vaccine that protects against hepatitis C. Vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B do exist, and your doctor may recommend them to help you avoid further strain on your liver. Prevention relies on avoiding contact with infected blood. Do not share needles, razors, toothbrushes, or nail clippers. Cover open wounds with bandages. Make sure any piercing, tattoo, or nail studio follows proper hygiene. Use a condom outside a monogamous relationship.

Can I catch hepatitis C through casual contact?

No. You cannot catch hepatitis C through coughing, sneezing, hugging, kissing, or sharing food, water, glasses, or utensils. The virus spreads only through contact with infected blood, most often through shared needles, so it is hard to catch but not impossible. Breastfeeding does not spread it either, unless the nipples are cracked or bleeding. If you live with someone who has hepatitis C, the main step is to avoid sharing anything that may carry traces of blood.

Can you have hepatitis C without symptoms?

Yes. Many people with hepatitis C have no symptoms for years, even while the virus damages the liver. When symptoms do appear, they are often mild, such as fatigue, nausea, or loss of appetite, and are easy to mistake for something else. Antibodies can take two to three months to show up on a blood test after infection. That is why one-time screening is recommended for all adults, and why anyone with risk factors should be tested whether or not they feel sick.

How is hepatitis C diagnosed?

Blood tests are the main tool, and they usually work in two steps. An antibody test checks whether you have ever been exposed to the virus. It cannot tell an active infection from a past one. If it is positive, an HCV RNA test checks whether the virus is still active in your blood. Your doctor may also order a test to identify the HCV genotype, which helps guide treatment. A liver biopsy, which removes a small tissue sample with a needle, is sometimes used to see how much liver damage has occurred.

Medical disclaimer: LiverDirectory provides educational information and a directory of providers. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed physician regarding any medical condition.