Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C care at Mayo Clinic

Your Mayo Clinic care team

Mayo Clinic's hepatitis C care teams include doctors trained in liver disease (hepatologists), specialists in infectious disease, diagnostic radiologists and pathologists, and if necessary, liver transplant experts in medical and surgical subspecialties. Rounding out the team are advanced-practice nurses, physician assistants and other allied health professionals, some of whom focus exclusively on caring for patients with hepatitis C.

These experts communicate directly with one another to coordinate your appointments, streamline the diagnostic process and design a plan of care that meets your unique needs. Your care team also monitors your condition as treatment progresses, making adjustments as needed.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

Mayo Clinic has participated in many research trials of the newest hepatitis C treatment options. Therefore, at Mayo Clinic, you have access to the latest advances in hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment, including:

• Noninvasive testing. Imaging tests that measure liver stiffness, which indicates the presence and severity of liver damage, have largely replaced liver biopsy in assessing hepatitis C-related liver damage and monitoring the effects of antiviral treatment. These two tests — magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and transient elastography — are virtually painless. They are also safer than a liver biopsy, which carries a small risk of bleeding or internal injury. In some circumstances, either test may also provide a more precise measure of liver damage than does a liver biopsy. The MRE technique was developed at Mayo Clinic.
• New medications. Researchers at Mayo Clinic have made significant contributions to clinical trials of direct-acting antiviral medications in chronic hepatitis C, particularly in patients with cirrhosis, patients with other infections that worsen hepatitis C (hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus) and patients infected with less common HCV genotypes.

Pediatric expertise

Children account for a small proportion of those diagnosed with hepatitis C every year. The most common cause of hepatitis C in children is transmission from mother to child before birth. However, the incidence of hepatitis C is increasing among older children, possibly due to the rise of illicit drug use.

Specialists in the Pediatric Liver Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota are experienced in accurately diagnosing children who have liver diseases, including hepatitis C. Nurses trained in treating children and adolescents staff the unit. Child-life specialists help you and your child deal with natural fears about illness, medical procedures and hospital care.

The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.

Expertise and rankings

Care teams at Mayo Clinic's three campuses treat around 2,000 patients with hepatitis C each year.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, ranks No. 1 for digestive disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2022–2023 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals, or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.