https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/discovery-of-hepatitis-c-snags-nobel-prize-in-medicine1/

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, which causes severe liver disease in more than 70 million people worldwide. The prize was jointly awarded to Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice, both Americans, and British-born scientist Michael Houghton.

Three hepatitis viruses are known to infect the liver: Hepatitis A is transmitted by water or contaminated food, and causes a short-term infection that typically resolves within weeks; hepatitis B and C are transmitted by contaminated blood, and cause chronic infections that can silently attack the liver for decades. This can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer, only treatable through liver transplants. As a result of hepatitis C’s discovery and blood screening programs, the virus has been nearly eliminated and most cases are treatable.