How common is it?

Hepatitis C is a common worldwide health problem and is a leading cause of liver disease. Roughly 3% of the world’s population (about 180 million people) are estimated to be infected and there are 3-4 million new hepatitis C infections reported each year throughout the world.1

There are regional differences in the number of people infected with hepatitis C. Egypt has the highest reported number of hepatitis C cases in the world, with 15–20% of the population thought to be infected.2  In contrast, it is thought that about 1–1.9% of the population have hepatitis C in developed countries such as the USA, Japan and Australia.2  In Europe, about 0.5–2% of the population are estimated to be infected,1 but numbers vary across the continent; Northern Europe has the lowest reported number of hepatitis C cases in the world (affecting 0.1–1% of the population), whereas Eastern Europe has amongst the highest (up to 6% of the population), along with parts of Asia and North Africa.3 

There are also regional differences in the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes. Of the main virus genotypes, genotypes 1a and 1b are the most common and are typically found in Europe, the USA and Japan. Genotypes 2 and 3 are typically distributed throughout the world, genotype 4 is common to the Middle East and Central Africa, genotype 5 is common in South Africa and genotype 6 is found mainly in Asia.1 

When diagnosed and treated early enough, liver injury caused by hepatitis C can be substantially reduced or prevented. However, if hepatitis C is left to develop over long periods of time (often decades) without treatment, it could cause fibrosis (scarring) and cirrhosis (structural alteration due to scarring) of the liver, as well as a form of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma. 

Some people with hepatitis C who have late-stage liver disease need a liver transplant. Hepatitis C is now the leading cause of liver transplantation in Europe and the USA.

1World Health Organization website: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/hepatitis/whocdscsrlyo2003/en/index.html
2Alter. Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13: 2436-2441.
3Esteban, Sauleda and Quer. The changing epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in Europe. J Hepatol 2008; 48: 148-162.