Hepatitis C virus (HCV) accounts for approximately 20% of cases of acute hepatitis, 70% of
chronic hepatitis, and 30% of end-stage liver disease in the United States. The acute
infection has an incubation period of 7 weeks (range, 4-20 weeks) and is symptomatic and
icteric in only one third of patients. Serum aminotransferase levels generally increase
greater than 10-fold elevated and as symptoms and signs resolve decrease into the normal
range. Antibody to HCV is usually but not always present at the time of onset of symptoms …