In the hepatitis family, hepatitis A and hepatitis B have long been “household names”, but I do not know that there is a member of the hepatitis family – hepatitis C, because of its insidious onset, no significant symptoms, many patients in the development of liver ascites, cirrhosis of the liver only to the hospital, at this time is often missed the best time to treat. At this time, the best time for treatment is often missed. “The incidence of hepatitis C is increasing year by year due to the lack of a vaccine and the lack of awareness of the disease among the general public. If the momentum continues, the number of hepatitis C cases in China will probably exceed that of hepatitis B.” “However, unlike hepatitis B, hepatitis C can be treated very well, and as long as regular treatment is adhered to, the hepatitis C virus can be completely removed.” Hidden deep is a characteristic that hepatitis C possesses. According to statistics, the incubation period for initial hepatitis C virus infection is 2 weeks to 16 weeks, with an average of 6 weeks to 7 weeks, and 80 percent of patients with acute hepatitis C have no obvious symptoms. “The most typical symptom of hepatitis C is fatigue and weakness, and many people think it can be improved by taking rest, so hepatitis C is difficult to be detected.” As a member of the “hepatitis family,” many people assume that hepatitis C, like hepatitis B, can be prevented by vaccination. In fact, there is no effective vaccine for hepatitis C in the world. However, the risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding a number of “high-risk” behaviors. These include: unnecessary and unsafe injections, intravenous drug use, sharing of injection instruments, transfusion of unsafe blood products, unsafe collection and disposal of sharps waste, unprotected contact with people infected with hepatitis C virus, sharing razors, toothbrushes, use of contaminated instruments for tattooing, piercing and acupuncture, use of dental instruments that are not strictly sterilized, endoscopy, invasive procedures, etc. In addition, hemodialysis patients and patients with hemophilia should also be screened for hepatitis C. While hepatitis C “covers itself up”, the virus continues to destroy liver cells, quietly harming the body. If infection is not treated early, 70 to 90 percent of hepatitis C patients will develop chronic hepatitis, and 10 to 15 percent of patients may develop cirrhosis and slow progression about 20 years after infection, with 10 to 20 percent progressing to decompensated cirrhosis and liver failure, followed by liver cancer in 1 to 5 percent of patients. Hepatitis C is different from hepatitis B. Simple carriers of the hepatitis B virus have mild liver lesions and can be left untreated as long as they are followed up and observed regularly; however, the hepatitis C virus is the opposite, and once infected, its damage to the liver continues and occurs quietly. The earlier the hepatitis C is treated, the better the outcome. The cure rate is only 30% at the age of 60, but if it is treated as soon as it is detected at a young age, the cure rate can reach about 70% to 80%. According to China’s Hepatitis C Prevention and Treatment Guidelines, the best treatment for hepatitis C is: pegylated interferon + ribavirin, and the cure rate for hepatitis C can reach about 70% to 80% after one year of treatment with sufficient doses, and some studies have shown that the cure rate can even be as high as 95.5%.