There are around 71 Billion people all over the world who are infected with Hepatitis C virus. The infected people might be symptom free but can actively transmit the infection to others. There are various celebrities who have suffered from the infection and many of them didn’t even know they had the disease for a long time. The celebrities mentioned below have been affected by Hepatitis C virus.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson, famous for her roles in Baywatch and Playboy Playmate got infected with the virus from her husband. She is reported to catch the disease from her Husband Tommy Lee by sharing a tattoo needle. She sought treatment for her disease and got cured of it completely in 2015.

Naomi Judd

Naomi belonged to the medical profession as a nurse. She later got involved in music and made a band ‘The Judds’ with her daughter. She was a five times Grammy award winner. She has also showcased her acting skills in several programs on the television. Naomi suffers from Hepatitis C which she reports having caught from a contaminated needle which she got pricked from.

Natasha Lyonne

The star of Orange is the New Black has revived her career after she was indulged in drug abuse. The actress suffered from hepatitis C and several other complications causing lung and heart dysfunction. Natasha was known for her work in ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ and ‘Slums of Beverly Hills’. She is now better and is working on several projects.

Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe was nominated for the Academy Award for his supporting role in the movie ‘The Last Samurai’. The star had leukemia and he was under treatment for that. He was cured for Leukemia but soon found out he was infected with Hepatitis C which he most likely got from a blood transfusion. He got treated for it in the year 2005.

Mickey Mantle

The baseball player of New York Yankees, who played for the team as Center, Right Fielder and the first Baseman was a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is also an author of the book ‘My favourite Summer 1956’. He won the Most Valuable Player and the Gold Glove award during his career. He was also a record breaker by setting a record for scoring most runs in World Series. Mantle was an alcoholic and suffered from several complications of the liver. He had hepatitis C and Liver cancer.

Steven Tyler

Steven was an American Singer, Songwriter and an actor. He was the lead vocalist of the band Aerosmith, in which he also played several instruments. ‘Dream On’ and ‘Sweet Emotions’ are two of his hit singles. He was known for his substance abuse which decreased his fan base. He also got a chance to judge the famous singing show, ‘The American Idol’. He faced various health issues for which he got treated as well. He had a ruptured throat blood vessel and suffered from Hepatitis C for a period of 11 years. He got his liver transplant done in the year 1999.

Natalie Cole

Daughter of Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole was a singer , songwriter and an actress. She was famous for her singles like ‘Inseparable’, ‘This Will Be’ and her album ‘Everlasting’. She won seven Grammy awards for her album ‘Unforgettable’. Natalie was also known for her addiction to Heroin which later caused her to get Hepatitis C. She went under treatment for the disease and suffered many complications which damaged her kidneys. She died in the year 2015 due to her deteriorating health.

Gregg Allman

Gregg was an American Singer and a song Writer. He was known for his band The Allman Brothers. ‘Whipping Post and ‘Midnight Rider are two of his hit songs. He won a Grammy award for his work. Allman suffered from Hepatitis C which was probably due to the usage of a contaminated tattoo needle. He was later diagnosed with tumors in his liver for which he got a transplant in 2010. He died in 2017.

Lou Reed

Lou was an American singer, songwriter, poet and a musician. He was one of the leads of the band ‘The Velvet Underground’. ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ gained him immense popularity and recognition. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and received treatment for that. He was also a diabetic patient who later got Liver Cancer. He died in 2013 at the age of 71.

David Crosby

The founder of ‘The Byrds’ and ‘Crosby, Stills and Nash’ was an American singer, musician and song writer. He was imprisoned for nine months due to offense related to drugs and weapons. He got a liver transplant in the year 1994 and was also diagnosed with Hepatitis C.  He also suffers from diabetes and is on medical treatment for that.

Larry Hagman

A known actor, producer and director, Larry Hagman is known for his popular work like ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ and ‘Fail-Safe’. He suffered from Hepatitis C for which he had his liver transplant done in the year 1995. He passed away in 2012 due to Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Christopher Kennedy Lawford

An American author, actor and an activist, Christopher Lawford was the son of actor Peter Lawford and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. He was a degree holder in Clinical Psychology and a lecturer on drug addiction-from which he himself suffered for many years. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis C due to substance abuse and received treatment for the same. He went under rehab and got rid off his habit but died of a heart attack in the year 2018.

“Superstar” Billy Graham

The heavy weight champion 1978, Superstar Billy Graham was an American Wrestler. Graham suffered from Liver Cirrhosis for which he received a liver transplant that was donated by a young lady who died in a road accident. He developed several diseases later in his life and is under treatment for them.

Rolf Benirschke

Rolf was an American Football player who played as a placekicker for the team San Diego Chargers. He was popular for his show ‘Wheel of Fortune’. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and Ulcerative Colitis. He got treated for the disease successfully and got two surgeries done for his intestinal disease. He took all the possible safety measures during the disease to avoid transmitting it to his family members.

Gene Weingarten

The famous American Columnist, Gene Weingarten is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. He is known for his column ‘Below the Beltway’. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing twice in his career. He has also written three screenplays. Weingarten was diagnosed with Hepatitis C due to substance abuse in his early years. His disease remained dormant until he got symptomatic and got tested for the disease.

The infection might remain asymptomatic for many years until the person becomes immuno-compromised and shows symptoms of the disease. Any from of transmission via blood or body fluids can lead to its transmission.