Patients can be infected by more than one genotype.Genotypes 1 and 3 are the most common subtypes of hepatitis C in England and Wales.Six major genetic types of HCV have been found :.However, there is a very large number of undiagnosed cases and estimates of true prevalence are much higher.Worldwide, over 180 million people are infected.Deaths, transplants and hospital admissions for hepatitis-related end-stage liver disease continue to rise.The most recent national estimates suggest that around 214,000 individuals are chronically infected with HCV in the UK.The rate of transmission increases when an individual is also infected with HIV. Perinatal transmission from an infected mother.Needlestick injuries in the healthcare setting.Sexual contact with an infected individual.Blood transfusion received before September 1991 (since 1991 all blood used in the UK has been screened for HCV).Hepatitis C is often diagnosed after routine blood testing, with the onset of hepatic impairment, or when screening a person at risk or a blood donor. Acute hepatitis C is usually asymptomatic and often does not come to light until some years after infection. HCV infection may be acute or chronic.The incubation period of acute hepatitis C is usually between six and nine weeks.HCV is blood-borne and, based upon differences in molecular structure, a number of different strains (genotypes) have been described.It is an enveloped RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family with a narrow host range (humans and chimpanzees). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was first identified in 1989.
This disease is notifiable in the UK - see NOIDs article for more detail.
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