Rosann,
Hepatitis C tends to be milder than hepatitis B in its early stages,
but while only about 5 to 10% of B patients become chronically
infected, C becomes chronic in about 50% of those infected.
Approximately 20% of those develop cirhosis of the liver, and
recently it has been shown that C may lead to liver cancer as well.
As much as 25% of all hepatitis in the U.S. is hep C, 95% of all
hep from transfusions is C.
Hep C is viral and transmissible by blood, very similar to the virus
that causes yellow fever ( a flavivirus).

Kimberly Elms
Arizona State University
Department of Anthropology
[log in to unmask]