Hepatitis C is a virus

The hepatitis C virus is one of several viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver. Currently there are five types of viral hepatitis: A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis C can damage the liver. The amount of damage may be slight or serious.

Hepatitis C infection involves an initial acute phase of infection that may not be noticeable, because in most cases people do not feel sick. This phase can last up to six months, levels of the virus in the blood rise dramatically until the body’s immune system starts to produce antibodies. Antibodies are made in response to the presence of the hepatitis C virus.

For most people, hepatitis C is a slow acting virus and is a chronic illness that can be managed with a variety of strategies. The impact of hepatitis C and how severe it is will vary over time and will be different for each person. Generally, the statistics show that the damage caused by the virus will increase as time goes on and will have a matching impact on the liver. However, this will not apply to everyone.

It is estimated that approximately 74,200 Victorians and around 284,000 people Australia-wide have been infected with the hepatitis C virus. Of these, around 211,000 have developed chronic hepatitis C. Within Australia’s Indigenous community, around 22,000 have been exposed to the virus while 16,000 have developed chronic hepatitis C. Of the 30,000 - 35,000 people held in prisons, 9,000 - 14,000 has been exposed to hepatitis C while 7,000 to 11,000 have chronic hepatitis C.