Disclosed herein is the discovery of a novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolated from a human patient. Embodiments of the inevntion include HCV peptides, nucleic acids encoding said HCV peptides, antibodies directed to said peptides, compositions containing said nucleic acids and peptides, as well as, methods of making and using the aforementioned compositions including, but not limited to, diagnostics and medicaments for the treatment and prevention of HCV infection.