Hepatitis C

First diagnosed in 1989, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant public health problem affecting 58 million people worldwide. The percentage of people who are seropositive for anti-HCV antibodies worldwide is estimated to have increased from 2.3% to 2.8% between 1990 to 2005. Most patients (80% to 85%) who become acutely infected cannot clear the virus and progress to chronic infection. The effects of chronic infection include cirrhosis, portal hypertension, hepatic decompensation with encephalopathy, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

HCV is the most common blood-borne pathogen and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.

The landscape of treatment has evolved substantially since the introduction of highly active direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in 2011. The goals of treatment aim at viral eradication, delaying fibrosis progression, alleviating symptoms, preventing complications, minimizing all-cause mortality, and ultimately maximizing the quality of life.[3]