There are 3.9 million chronic HCV cases in the EU

HCV is one of the five unique hepatitis viruses identified by the letters A, B, C, D and E. These viruses are similar in that they all target the liver, but also vary in key ways, including the mode of transmission and the severity of the disease. For instance, Hepatitis A is most often transmitted via the consumption of contaminated water or food and the cases are usually mild, with most people making a full recovery and even acquiring immunity from further infection. Hepatitis B can be transmitted from infected mothers to their infants at birth, or in early childhood. Medical procedures and injections are also a risk factor if the tools used have come into contact with the blood of an infected individual. Healthcare workers are also at risk from contracting this disease due to the likelihood of accidental needle injuries or coming into direct contact with the blood of HBV-infected patients. 

Hepatitis C is considered particularly dangerous as infection usually presents with few, unspecific symptoms that can easily be attributed to another disease. In some cases, the patients may be entirely asymptomatic. And while as many as 25% of patients can clear the infection on their own...