The hepatitis C "early replication" paradox now resolves completely when considered in the context of replicative homeostasis; initial high level HCV replication (due to high RNApol processivity) remains immunologically undetectable for 6–8 weeks, or more, because of low RNApol fidelity causing a broad spectrum of HCV envelope proteins each expressed on cell surfaces at concentrations below the threshold of detection even while viraemia, reflected in concentrations of 5'UTR RNA common to each RNA species, are present at 106–7 geq/ml. This evidence concerns the gene ERVW-1 and hepatitis C virus infection.