Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that infects the liver, where it causes significant inflammation, damage and disruption of normal liver function. According to estimates by the World Health Organization, around 3 to 4 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C every year.

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C infection is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus. Infection with hepatitis C may damage the liver leading to chronic infection.

What is the Hepatitis C Virus?

Hepatitis C Diagnosis

Hepatitis C Prevention

Hepatitis C Treatment

Hepatitis C Epidemiology

Hepatitis C Transmission

Hepatitis C History

Hepatitis C treatment: no benefits and possible harm

Early and Late Symptoms of Hepatitis C

How is Hepatitis C Transmitted?

Tests for Hepatitis C

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Hepatitis C Acute Infection

Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

HCV and Rheumatic Disease

Is Hepatitis Preventable?

Latest Hepatitis C News and Research

New cell culture model sheds light on immune protein's role in infectious diseases

A human cell culture model of the lung's most important immune cells, alveolar macrophages, helped make a key finding that is prompting researchers to rethink the role of another immune protein in infectious disease.

10 Oct 2024

Study reveals gaps in hepatitis C treatment among reproductive-aged women

Most pediatric cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are perinatal, meaning the virus is transmitted from birthing parent to child during pregnancy or birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

7 Oct 2024

Long-lived plasma cells fail to establish after COVID mRNA vaccination, limiting long-term antibody response

Researchers found that SARS-CoV-2-specific plasma cells were largely excluded from the long-lived plasma cell compartment in the bone marrow after mRNA vaccination, explaining the short-lived antibody response.

2 Oct 2024

Cardiovascular risks of COVID-19 antivirals

Study reviews cardiovascular side effects linked to antiviral therapies for COVID-19, highlighting the need for careful consideration when prescribing these drugs to high-risk patients.

16 Sep 2024

Novel monoclonal antibody appears effective at neutralizing numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants

A monoclonal antibody appears effective at neutralizing the numerous variants of SARS-CoV-2, as well as related viruses in animals that could pose a threat if they were to begin spreading in people.

6 Sep 2024

CNRS scientists uncover activation mechanism of bemnifosbuvir

CNRS Scientists have deciphered the activation pathway of bemnifosbuvir, a drug candidate initially in development to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV). The findings of the research team, led by CNRS scientists, unlock new opportunities to boost the efficacy of this type of drug against other RNA viruses, such as the ones that cause Covid-19 and dengue fever.

28 Aug 2024

New insights into macrophages' role in MASH and liver fibrosis

Formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an inflammatory disease characterized by liver scarring or fibrosis that progressively impairs liver function.

22 Aug 2024

Breakthrough treatment reduces liver fibrosis in Hepatitis C patients

HCV infection is the underlying cause for chronic Hepatitis C (CHC), liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In 2019, over 2,90,000 people died of HCV-related diseases. Recent medical advancement made a new breakthrough treatment available for patients with hepatitis C. DAAs that block replication of HCV has dramatically transformed the treatment approach with around 90% effective anti-viral response rates. However, it is unclear whether DAAs impact the severity of disease burden caused by liver fibrosis.

21 Aug 2024

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

In this interview, we explore global and local efforts to combat viral hepatitis with Lindsey Hiebert, Deputy Director of the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), and James Amugsi, a Mandela Washington Fellow and Physician Assistant at Sandema Hospital in Ghana. Together, they provide valuable insights into the challenges, successes, and the importance of partnerships in the fight against hepatitis.

20 Aug 2024

Liver stiffness becomes crucial indicator for post-treatment hepatitis C risk assessment

Hepatitis C can be cured in almost all cases with modern medication. However, if advanced liver damage is already present at the time of cure, there is still a residual risk of liver cancer and complications of portal hypertension, such as abdominal fluid, bleeding from the digestive tract and confusion.

14 Aug 2024

Study reveals link between illicit fentanyl use and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs

An international team of researchers from University of California San Diego and el Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Mexico have revealed a significant association between the use of illicit fentanyl and the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico.

30 Jul 2024

New study helps better understand the pathology of fatty liver disease MASH

A new study brings researchers closer to better understanding the pathology of the fatty liver disease MASH, which stands for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

24 Jul 2024

Study: 40% of cancer cases in the U.S. attributable to modifiable risk factors

A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) finds four in 10 cancer cases and about one-half of all cancer deaths in adults 30 years old and older in the United States (or 713,340 cancer cases and 262,120 cancer deaths in 2019) could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections.

11 Jul 2024

OraQuick HCV self-test receives WHO prequalification

The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified the first hepatitis C virus (HCV) self-test which can provide a critical support in expanding access to testing and diagnosis, accelerating global efforts to eliminate hepatitis C.

10 Jul 2024

Asia Pacific faces hepatitis crisis: Urgent action needed to meet WHO targets

Countries in Asia Pacific are unlikely to meet their commitment to eliminate hepatitis by 2030 unless they declare a public health emergency, as they did with COVID-19, a disease specialist suggested.

1 Jul 2024

Pentraxin 3 as a predictor of advanced fibrosis and carotid intima-media thickness in MAFLD patients

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) may increase the risk of cardiovascular events. In this study, we assessed the predictive value of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) for severe fibrosis and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients with MAFLD.

25 Jun 2024

UT Health Science Center awarded $1.58M grant to study cancer disparities among Black women

A $1.58 million grant will support work by a health communication scholar at the University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center's College of Nursing and a medical oncologist at West Cancer Center and Research Institute (WCCRI) to identify sociocultural and structural factors that are root causes of cancer health disparities for Black women in the Mid-South.

20 Jun 2024