Understanding Hep C:
What it is, and who’s at risk
Hep C is a serious liver disease
Hepatitis C, or “Hep C” for short, is a contagious form of liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. Over time, the virus damages healthy liver cells, which can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver cancer, or even liver failure. The good news is that Hep C is manageable, and if caught early enough, even curable.
 | Learn more about Hep C.Download educational Hep C material, or |
 | watch informative videos. |
Fast facts about Hep C
 | Hep C can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. |
 | About 75% to 85% of the people infected with Hep C will develop chronic infection. Of those people:
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 | About 20,000 people died from Hep C in 2014. |
 | Hep C is the #1 cause of liver transplants. |
 | If caught in time, Hep C is curable for most people, and the treatment is simple and treatable. |
If you’re a baby boomer, you’re at risk.
Although anyone can get Hep C, it’s far more common in baby boomers (people born between 1945 and 1965). In fact, more than 75% of adults infected with Hep C are baby boomers. Most infected boomers are believed to have become infected in the 1970s and 1980s when rates of Hep C transmission were high.
 | Know where you stand.Take this simple quiz to find out if you'reat a heightened risk for Hep C. |
 | If you’re a baby boomer, you're 5 times more likely to have Hep C, even if you think you haven’t engaged in any "risky" behaviors. |
You could be infected—and not even know it.
 | Request the test.Remember to ask your doctor about Hep C testing, sign up for the Hep C test reminder. |
Hep C is a “silent disease” because symptoms can take decades to develop. When they finally do appear, it’s usually a sign of serious liver problems. Though people with the hepatitis C virus may seem healthy, liver damage is often happening silently.
| Over 3 million people in the United States have a chronic (longtime) hepatitis C virus infection. Most people don’t know they’re infected because they don’t look or feel sick. |
The good news? Hep C is curable.
Symptoms are common to other illnesses. That’s why Hep C testing is so critical—and why many health guidelines now recommend that more people get tested. If caught in time, Hep C can be cured—and the treatment is simple. Health officials estimate that one-time testing of all baby boomers will prevent more than 120,000 deaths. Learn more about Hep C tests and treatment.
 | Hep C testing is recommended The CDC and other health officials recommend one-time Hep C testing for all baby boomers. Learn more. |
Testing involves a simple blood draw, making it easy to find out your Hep C status.
Find out how you can prepare for your visit to one of our Hep C test locations.