for Veterans and the Public
Hepatitis C Basics
Hepatitis means inflammation (or swelling) of the liver. When the liver is inflamed, it can have a harder time doing some of its jobs. (See Understanding the Liver.)
A hepatitis virus is one that lives in liver cells and causes inflammation. Different hepatitis viruses have been given different names, such as A, B, and C.
Hepatitis C is caused by a virus called the hepatitis C virus, or HCV for short. According to published studies, almost 4 million people in the United States have hepatitis C. Veterans using VA facilities have higher rates of hepatitis C than the general population.
Hepatitis C is the main subject of this website. You can find more detailed information in the following sections:
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