Viral hepatitis is a silent epidemic. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, it is estimated that 2.7 to 3.9 million persons are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States alone. An enormous public health danger lies in the fact that many infected patients are unaware of their diseased state. HCV's slow disease progression can lead to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, which ultimately requires transplantation or causes mortality.