Natalie Cole Diagnosed with Hepatitis C

Singer Natalie Cole has been diagnosed with hepatitis C, her publicist confirmed in a statement released to the Associated Press.

During a routine examination, doctors discovered that the 58-year-old daughter of singer Nat King Cole had contracted the virus likely from previous drug use.

As documented in her autobiography, Cole was an abuser of LSD, cocaine and heroin prior to her stint in rehab in 1984.

"Natalie has had a terrific response to her medication and is now virus negative - this gives her an increased chance of cure," Cole's doctor, Dr. Graham Woolf of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said.

Hepatitis C is a virus that is spread through contact with infected blood and can remain undetected for years, leading to fatal liver problems if left untreated.

Most individuals contract hepatitis C through sharing intravenous drug equipment; however, it can also be transmitted through shared razors as well as body and ear piercing.

Most patients are able to be cleared of the virus with a course of anti-viral medication.

In her statement to the press, Cole expressed optimism in regards to her diagnosis.

"I've been so fortunate to have learned so much from my past experiences," she said.

"I am embraced by the love and support of my family and friends; I am committed to my belief in myself and in my abiding faith to meet this challenge with a heartfelt optimism and determination."