An active female business executive, aged 39 years and a mother of three young children, visited her family doctor for an annual check-up. She had never been seriously ill. A few days after her visit, she received a phone call from the doctor's office, informing her that her liver enzymes were slightly elevated. Since this result may reflect an underlying problem in the liver, she was asked to come back in for more tests. She tested positive for antibodies against a recently discovered hepatitis virus that establishes a chronic, asymptomatic infection in most people, which is often accompanied by an underlying liver disease that is serious and often progresses toward cirrhosis. Cirrhosis, or end-stage liver disease, is accompanied by considerable morbidity and mortality. She left the doctor's office with the knowledge that within 10–15 years the virus infection could destroy her liver. She was treated with antiviral therapy, which was expensive, had considerable side effects, and was not effective beyond the period of treatment. She was then informed that her best chances for survival may eventually be a liver transplant. This is the clinical face that is often seen in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This book will present the basic features of the virus and associated diseases as well as discuss present and future treatment options, in the hope that it will stimulate further research and provide a brighter future for those infected with HCV.