for Veterans and the Public

Alcohol and Hepatitis C

For every 100 people infected with hepatitis C:

• 15 people get rid of the virus through their own immune system.
• 85 will develop chronic, or long-term, infection.

Of these 85 people:

• 66 will get only minor liver damage.
• 17 will develop cirrhosis and may have symptoms of advanced liver disease.
• 2 will develop liver cancer.

Which group you end up in (manageable liver disease, cirrhosis, or liver cancer) depends on many things, but it can be related to choices you make about your lifestyle.