Hepatitis C: Testing

Hepatitis C is often asymptomatic, meaning a person can have hepatitis C for 20 to 30 years without experiencing symptoms. As a result, many people may not realize they have hepatitis C and may not seek testing or diagnosis. The only way to know if a person has hepatitis C is for them to get tested. Early diagnosis is important to ensure people are linked to treatment to cure their hepatitis C, which will prevent further liver damage and disease.

This section provides information about the importance of hepatitis C testing, how testing works, the approaches to hepatitis C testing in Canada, where testing takes place, and considerations for service providers such as how to support people through the testing process.