Hepatitis C Virus - a blood-borne virus that causes liver infection and inflammation, often leading to chronic disease.
Medical acronym from hepatitis (Greek hepar 'liver' + -itis 'inflammation') and C (the third major hepatitis virus identified, after A and B). First identified in 1989 as the cause of non-A, non-B hepatitis.
HCV remained a medical mystery for decades - doctors knew there was a 'non-A, non-B hepatitis' causing liver disease, but couldn't identify the culprit until molecular biology techniques finally revealed this elusive virus in 1989.
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