Every year, 3–4 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus. About 150 million people are chronically infected and at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. More than 350 000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver diseases every year. Diagnosis of acute infection is often missed because a majority of infected people have no symptoms. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C however, research in this area is ongoing.
