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Steven Tyler Faces Health Battle

Aerosmith`s charismatic singer reveals that he has quietly been battling hepatitis C, a blood-borne infection that can potentially lead to fatal liver damage, including cirrhosis or liver cancer. The 58 year old singer reports that he subsequently endured a year filled with pills and injections containing the antiviral drug interferon. The musician joins an estimated 4.5 million Americans who suffer from hepatitis C, including fellow celebrities Pamela Anderson, Naomi Judd and Larry Hagman.

The virus is often transmitted through dirty needles but it is yet clear what has caused Tyler to contract the disease. He has promised to talk more openly about his struggle with the sickness in the future to raise public awareness. Back in the 1970`s, Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry were given the nickname `The Toxic Twins`, due to their rampant use of drugs and alcohol both on and off stage, which was a `toxic` combination that almost ended their careers, not to mention their lives. To this day, they are still commonly referred to by this nickname, despite coming clean and maintaining sobriety for the past 20 years.