 Hepatitis C Hep C is a common infection. Worldwide, over 180 million people are infected. Hep C is a blood borne viral infection spread through direct contact with the blood of an infected person. People with Hep C frequently have no symptoms and infection can lead to fibrosis scarring of the liver, liver failure and cancer. Infection with the Hep C virus HCV progresses more rapidly to liver damage in Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV-infected individuals. 