Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The global prevalence of HCV infection has been estimated at 1.6% (1.3–2.1%), equivalent to 115 (92–149) million individuals. Whereas rates of infection are decreasing in the developed world, HCV related liver disease is expected to increase due to the latent nature of early infection and the significant number of undiagnosed cases.