How can hepatitis C infection lead to cirrhosis?

Hepatitis C infection can lead to cirrhosis through a process of chronic liver injury and inflammation. Unlike some other forms of hepatitis, hepatitis C is highly prone to becoming a chronic condition.123

When the infection persists, it causes ongoing destruction of hepatocytes (liver cells) and bile ducts. If this damage is severe enough to destroy entire acini—the functional clusters of liver lobules—the body attempts to repair the area. However, instead of healthy tissue, the liver is replaced with fibrous scar tissue.45

As this scarring progresses, the liver undergoes a disorderly regeneration of hepatocytes and bile ducts. This permanent, irreversible scarring characterizes cirrhosis, which disrupts the liver's normal structure and impairs its ability to function. Because the process of scarring and nodular regeneration is permanent, managing the infection is critical to halting the progression of the disease.425