Nearly 50 percent of people living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States are unaware of their infection and less than 10 percent of those living with the deadly liver disease have been effectively cured. These stats come out of a new meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and published in PLOS ONE. The findings delve deep into what experts are calling “significant gaps” in hep C care across the country, the university reports.

In the largest study of its kind so far, infectious disease and epidemiology specialists at UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine culled the numbers from 10 studies conducted on the virus between 2003 and 2013 to identify the gaps. In addition to the first two stats, researchers also found that just 43 percent of those diagnosed with the disease actually had access to outpatient care for it and that only 16 percent were ultimately prescribed treatment.

Advocates say the data will be a good baseline for hep C care and that it can be used across the board to qualify the impact of new screening efforts and antiviral treatments.

To read the full release about the project, click here.