Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a RNA virus that lacks the retroviral properties of surviving in infected hosts by integration into cellular DNA, nevertheless it is capable to cause chronic infection and disease in a considerable number of infected individuals (30-70% of cases). This results in a worldwide prevalence of chronic HCV carriers similar to those of hepatitis B virus carriers. We review and discuss here some of the peculiar aspects of chronic HCV infection and associated disease.