History
In the 1970s Harvey Alter at the US National Institutes of Health showed that many post-transfusion hepatitis cases were neither A nor B—"non-A, non-B hepatitis." In 1989 Michael Houghton's team at Chiron isolated the virus's genetic material and named it hepatitis C virus, and Charles Rice later proved the virus alone caused disease; all three shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Direct-acting antivirals arriving around 2014 turned hepatitis C into a curable disease.
Spread and course
It spreads through blood: shared needles, unsterile tattoos, piercing or acupuncture, shared razors or toothbrushes, and transfusions before screening began in 1992. It does not spread by eating together, hugging or coughing. About 70% of infections become chronic but cause few symptoms, sometimes surfacing decades later as cirrhosis or liver cancer. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there is still no vaccine.
Testing and treatment
An antibody blood test screens, and an HCV RNA test confirms current infection. Korea added an HCV antibody test to its national check-up at age 56 from 2025. Taking direct-acting antivirals for 8–12 weeks cures over 95% with few side effects. Reinfection is possible, so avoid blood exposure after treatment.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
FAQ
- Can hepatitis C be cured?
- Yes—direct-acting antivirals clear the virus in most people within 8–12 weeks.
- Can it spread through sex?
- The risk is low but higher with bleeding or HIV co-infection.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Choo, Q. L., et al. (1989). Isolation of a cDNA clone derived from a blood-borne non-A, non-B viral hepatitis genome. Science, 244(4902), 359–362.
- World Health Organization. (2024). Hepatitis C (Fact sheet).
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 — Alter, Houghton, Rice. NobelPrize.org.