Chronic hepatitis C

On average, around 25% of people who contract hepatitis C will clear the virus naturally within the first 12 months. For the remaining 75% of people the virus is not eliminated. For these people the virus will probably remain in their body for the rest of their lives. This is called chronic (long term) hepatitis C.

Of 100 people with chronic hepatitis C who have remained untreated after 20 years, 45 people may not develop any liver damage;31 may develop mild to moderate liver damage;7 may develop cirrhosis of the liver and 1 may develop liver failure. After 40 years, 45 people may not develop any liver damage; 31 may develop mild to moderate liver damage; 20 may develop cirrhosis of the liver and 4 may develop liver failure.

When the virus is multiplying in the liver, it can mutate and change its outer protein coat so that antibodies don’t recognise it easily. This may explain why the antibody response does not eliminate the virus in most cases. By the time antibodies are ready to attack the virus, it has already changed and the antibodies have no effect.

Some people may never experience any symptoms. The virus is slow acting and it can take many years from infection before any permanent damage to the liver (such as scarring) occurs. There is no way to predict how the virus will affect each individual or over what period of time liver damage may develop.

For most people, hepatitis C does not result in serious disease or death. However, factors such as the person’s gender, health history, diet, life situation, age when they were infected, stress levels, alcohol and drug intake (whether legal, prescribed or illicit), will all have an impact on how each person experiences hepatitis C.