Hepatitis C cuta ce mai saurin kamuwa da cutar hanta ta C (HCV) wacce ke shafar hanta da farko. A lokacin kamuwa da cutar ta farko mutane sukan sami sauki ko babu alamun cutar. Wani lokaci zazzaɓi, fitsari mai duhu, ciwon ciki, da launin rawaya fata na faruwa. Kwayar cutar tana ci gaba da wanzuwa a cikin hanta a kusan kashi 75 zuwa 85% na wadanda suka kamu da cutar a farko. Farkon kamuwa da cuta na yau da kullun yawanci ba shi da alamun cutar. A cikin shekaru masu yawa duk da haka, sau da yawa yana haifar da cutar hanta da cirrhosis lokaci-lokaci. A wasu lokuta, waɗanda ke da cirrhosis za su haifar da matsaloli masu tsanani kamar gazawar hanta, ciwon hanta, ko fashewar tasoshin jini a cikin esophagus da ciki. HCV yana yaduwa da farko ta hanyar haɗin jini-zuwa-jini da ke da alaƙa da amfani da magungunan jijiya, rashin haifuwar kayan aikin likita mara kyau, raunin allura a cikin kiwon lafiya, da ƙarin ƙarin jini. Yin amfani da gwajin jini, haɗarin ƙarin ƙarin jini bai wuce ɗaya cikin miliyan biyu ba.