On November 29, an outbreak of hepatitis C occurred in Vuyang, Anhui Province, and so far, more than 200 people have been infected with hepatitis C. According to the preliminary investigation, the hepatitis C positive people were found to have received intravenous push treatment at an individual clinic, and the outbreak may have been caused by unsafe injections. So what is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a common viral hepatitis that is widely prevalent worldwide and is the leading cause of post-transfusion hepatitis in China. Hepatitis C virus mainly invades the liver and can lead to chronic hepatitis, and some patients may also develop cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma, which is extremely dangerous to life. According to reports, the global hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection rate of about 3%, that is, the infected population of about 170 million, China has about 10 million cases. Worldwide, more than 350,000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related liver disease. Chronic hepatitis C has become one of the most common and important causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. The current underdiagnosis rate of hepatitis C in China is as high as 90%, and most patients have no obvious symptoms, which, together with the lack of public awareness of hepatitis C, has led to a high incidence of hepatitis C year by year and an increasingly serious risk. Hepatitis C virus is generally transmitted through blood, sexual contact and mother-to-child transmission. Of these three, blood is the most important route of hepatitis C transmission, such as sharing needles during injection drug use or importing blood or blood products contaminated with the hepatitis C virus. In addition, all invasive medical procedures such as gastroscopy, acupuncture treatment without strict sterilization, dental operations, endoscopic surgery, and skin and mucous membrane damage operations such as tattooing, eyebrow tattooing, ear piercing and double eyelid cutting with instruments without strict sterilization can also transmit hepatitis C virus. In a survey of people who had received ear piercing, it was found that their hepatitis C infection rate was nearly double that of the general control population. Currently, it has been confirmed that people with manicures and pedicures are susceptible to hepatitis C infection. In addition, cosmetic methods that are damaging, such as tooth extraction, foot baths, and double eyelid removal, all have the potential to infect with hepatitis C. However, daily life and work contact with hepatitis C patients will not be infected. For example, handshakes, hugs, courtesy kisses, sharing of utensils and glasses, sharing of work tools, office supplies, money and other contacts without skin breakage or blood exposure do not transmit hepatitis C virus. Coughing, sneezing, and mosquito bites also do not transmit the hepatitis C virus. Many people believe that their annual physical exams show normal liver function and that hepatitis A, B, C and D should be far away. And it is this misconception that is holding up so many people. The liver function test in the routine physical examination only reflects whether the liver function is normal, and does not indicate whether the hepatitis A, B, C and other hepatitis viruses are carried. Hepatitis C is known as the “camouflaged killer”, which is usually not felt, but compared to hepatitis A and B, once infected with hepatitis C, the progression to cirrhosis or liver cancer is much faster. But if the disease can be detected before it worsens, early standardized antiviral treatment, hepatitis C can be completely cured.