Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)

• Affects >1.9 million people living in the United States
• Transmitted through contaminated blood, sexual contact, perinatal exposure
  • Sharing needles, blood transfusion, organ transplant
• Acute: first 6 months after virus exposure
  • 50-90% develop chronic infection
• Complications: cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
• Leading indication for liver transplant

Pathophysiology

• Single-stranded RNA virus
• Hepatocytes = major site of viral replication

Genotype

• High mutational rate leading to genetic variation
• Mixed-genotype indicates coinfection with more than one HCV virus
• Geographic variations exist & genotype 3 is most severe

Clinical Presentation

• Primarily asymptomatic
• Advanced hepatic fibrosis: fatigue, vague abdominal pain, depression