Like HBV infection, HCV infection results in damage to the liver.
Approximately 75 to 85% of individuals who are infected with Hepatitis C and develop antibodies in their serum (seroconvert) progress to a chronic form of the disease and about 70% of the chronically infected individuals will develop active liver disease.
Five to twelve weeks after the exposure, some individuals may develop flu-like symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, tiredness, and loss of appetite. These may last from weeks to months.
Approximately 80% of infected individuals will have no symptoms at all.