Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks your liver. You can live with hepatitis C for 20 to 30 years or more without feeling sick even though the virus is injuring the liver, making it hard for it to work properly. The liver is a very important organ in your body that you cannot live without.
Hepatitis C is spread when the blood of a person with hepatitis C comes in contact with the bloodstream of someone else. This can happen through breaks in the skin or in the lining of the nose and mouth. Hepatitis C is a strong virus and can survive outside of the body for many days. This means dried blood can also pass the virus.
Find more details on HEPC transmission, testing and treatment at CATIE: http://www.catie.ca/en/basics/hepatitis-c