Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C virus
Infection route
The virus is mainly transmitted through contact with blood of an infected person. In Europe, HCV transmission occurs in most cases through intravenous drug use, when contaminated needles are shared. Medical procedures with insufficiently sterilized instruments, transfusion of blood or blood products that have not been tested, as well as the pricking of tattoos and application of piercings with non-sterile instruments also play an important role.
Other modes of transmission include: risky sexual behavior or sexual practices that lead to blood contact (e.g., persons with multiple sexual partners; men who have sex with men), inadequate protection in health care settings (gloves, disposal of used needles...), and transmission from an infected mother to her child during childbirth (perinatal).
Symptomatology
Most people with acute hepatitis C virus infection have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they manifest as fatigue, fever and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyeballs), among other symptoms.
Also, in many chronic hepatitis C virus infections, symptoms never occur or only after years. Symptomatic infected persons suffer from general complaints such as fatigue, nausea and abdominal discomfort. Approximately 30% of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection develop cirrhosis (end-stage liver damage). In a few cases, this cirrhosis develops further into liver cancer.
Therapy
Detected in time, hepatitis C virus infection can be cured with appropriate antiviral drug combinations. With antiviral treatment, over 90% of diagnosed HCV-infected individuals in Europe can be cured today. In individuals who develop severe liver disease, liver transplantation may be necessary.
Prevention
There is currently no effective vaccine against hepatitis C. A passed infection does not leave immunity against the hepatitis C virus. Therefore, reinfection can occur despite successful therapy.
One of the most important preventive measures to reduce the risk of HCV infection is education of vulnerable populations (people who inject drugs intravenously and men who have sex with men).
The situation in Austria
As most new HCV infections are asymptomatic, very few people are diagnosed at this stage. The actual number of people infected is therefore likely to be higher.
The introduction of DAA drugs (pan-genomic direct-acting antivirals) in 2014 for the curative treatment of hepatitis C infections also marked a breakthrough in the elimination of the virus in Austria.
Diagram: Cases reported in the Epidemiological Reporting System (EMS) (data as at 15 April 2026). Individual late reports are possible.
Specialized information
WHO recommends pan-genomic direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C for all adults, adolescents, and children aged three years and older.
WHO recommends the following primary prevention methods:
- Safe and appropriate use of injections in health care settings.
- Safe handling when disposing of sharps
- Providing understandable harm reduction information to people who inject drugs.
- Testing donated blood for HBV and HCV.
- Training of health care workers
- Prevention of blood contact during sexual intercourse.
Last updated: 26.05.2026
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