Introduction

• HCV is a major bloodborne human pathogen affecting approximately 1% of the global population^{[WHO 2017]}
• The most important route of transmission in developed countries is injection drug use
• If untreated, most acute infections progress to chronic infection and liver disease
• Progression to advanced liver disease and HCC is influenced by several cofactors, the most important being alcohol abuse and metabolic syndrome^{[Alberti 2009]}
• Aging of the currently infected population is expected to result in significant increases in the incidence of HCV-related cirrhosis and HCC

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major bloodborne human pathogen with a current global prevalence rate of approximately 1%, and 71 million individuals have chronic HCV infection.^{[WHO 2017]...}