More than 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is responsible for more than 100.000 cases of liver cancer per year, with similar numbers of digestive haemorrhage and ascites episodes. In Poland the number of HCV infected patients is estimated on about 700 thousand. Major breakthroughs have been made in diagnosis and treatment, and advances in molecular biology mean that the replicative state of the virus can now be assessed. Genotype and serum viral load are useful predictors of response to treatment. The combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin can eradicate the virus in more than 50% of patients. The introduction of this combined therapy has undoubtedly significantly increased the effectiveness of the therapy. It has also provided a therapeutic chance for patients treated previously without positive effect.

Keywords: HCV-infection, Natural History, treatment, chronic hepatitis C