Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is a global public health burden.It is estimated that 170-200 million persons around the world are infected with the hepatitis C virus;it affects about 3 to 5 million people in the United States.
Many people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are not aware of their condition so they do not seek or receive treatment.Approximately 75 percent of those with HCV infection in the United States were born between 1945 and 1965.