Overview

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the liver. Many people do not notice symptoms when they are first infected, so the infection can go undetected for years. If it is not treated, hepatitis C can cause serious liver damage over time.

Hepatitis C, often called hep C, can be short-term or long-lasting. A short-term infection, called acute hepatitis C, lasts up to six months. Some people clear the virus from the body on their own during this time as their immune system fights it off. But many people do not. If the infection lasts longer than six months, it is called chronic hepatitis C. Chronic infection can harm the liver over time, often without causing any symptoms until the liver has become damaged.

Hepatitis C spreads when infected blood enters the body. This can happen in several ways, including sharing needles for injection drugs or sharing personal care items such as razors. It also can be passed from a pregnant person to the baby. Because many people do not know they have been exposed, screening helps find infections.

A blood test can find hepatitis C early, often before symptoms appear. Getting screened helps protect your liver from scarring and other damage and makes timely treatment possible. The good news is that effective treatments exist, and most people can be cured of hepatitis C.

People often have questions about when to get screened, what the test involves and what the results mean. This article explains why hepatitis C screening matters, who needs it and what to expect from testing.