The liver is an ingenious biological filtering system that absorbs blood from the stomach and intestines and processes it. In doing so, the liver produces proteins for blood plasma and for carrying fats throughout the body, converts glucose into a form that allows it to be stored, and clears the blood of toxins. Byproducts of the liver's toxin-clearing effects are excreted in the fecal matter. A number of factors can impair these functions by causing liver disease.
Infection
Pathogens and parasites can invade the liver and impede its ability to function. Hepatitis B, for example, is a virus that is transmitted through infected blood. It can be passed from person to person through shared needle use, unprotected sex, or improperly sterilized tattoo or medical equipment. Hepatitis B infects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, cancer or organ failure, according to the Stanford School of Medicine.
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites that infect the liver and red blood cells. It is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes and causes high fevers with chills and sweats, gastrointestinal distress, muscle aches, and hypotension, notes the Body and Health Canada website.
Autoimmune Disorders
Several autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis, affect the liver. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body mistakenly identifies its own tissues as pathogens and mounts a defensive immune response against them.
Autoimmune hepatitis is believed to have a genetic influence, as are many autoimmune diseases. It is mostly seen in females, and it is chronic. It causes enlarged liver, jaundice, skin rashes and numerous other symptoms, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Primary biliary cirrhosis occurs when the bile ducts of the liver slowly erode. It is also thought to have a genetic influence, coupled with environmental triggers. In primary biliary cirrhosis, the immune system destroys the lining of the bile ducts. Early symptoms include fatigue, dry eyes and mouth, and itching, which later develops into jaundice, hyperpigmentation of the skin and swelling in the feet and abdomen, notes the NDDIC.
Toxin Exposure
When the liver is overburdened by an excessive amount of toxins in the bloodstream, it can become damaged and diseased, a condition known as hepatotoxicity. Liver disease due to toxic exposure manifests in symptoms that are indistinguishable from liver disease due to infection or inflammation.
Alcohol abuse is a well-known cause of liver disease, but even physician-approved pharmaceutical preparations can be at fault in inducing liver damage. The Liver Transplant Program and Center for Liver Disease at the University of Southern California Department of Surgery notes that over 800 medications are known to cause liver disease. Certain people appear to be hypersensitive in this regard, to the point where even drugs as seemingly innocuous as acetaminophen can cause hepatotoxicity if the dosages are too high.
References
- University of Southern California Department of Surgery: Liver Transplant Program and Center for Liver Disease: Drug-Induced Liver Disease
- Stanford School of Medicine: FAQ About Hepatitis
- Body and Health Canada: Malaria
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Autoimmune Hepatitis
- MayoClinic.com: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
