Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is also called a silent killer because for a long time it shows no symptoms or the symptoms mimic those of a minor flu. Oftentimes, a patient has...
Your liver is at risk of suffering major damage from toxic hepatitis. During toxic hepatitis, the liver becomes inflamed as a result of ingesting a toxic substance. Look for the symptoms of this serious health condition prior to contacting your...
Hepatitis C is an infection that is caused by the hepatitis virus. According to MayoClinic.com, hepatitis C is considered to be among the most serious of the hepatitis viruses and can cause severe liver damage. If you have hepatitis, there are...
Hepatitis C is a chronic viral infection that causes inflammation in your liver. You may not even know you are infected, because many people with hepatitis C are asymptomatic. According to a 2004 review in "Annals of Internal Medicine," about 2...
Alcohol, also referred to as ethanol, is a compound found in beer, wine, and liquor that is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Alcohol affects every organ in the body once it enters the bloodstream, but primarily affects...
Jaundice is a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes. This color can also be seen in conjunctival membranes such as nostrils or inside of the mouth. Jaundice results from increased levels of bilirubin in the blood that...
Autoimmune liver disease, or autoimmune hepatitis disease, causes your body's immune system to attack your liver cells and your bile duct cells. Your liver becomes inflamed, called hepatitis. If your doctor diagnosis you with autoimmune liver...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3.2 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a contagious disease that infects the liver and causes inflammation, preventing the liver from properly...
Bile is a fluid that is concentrated and stored within the gallbladder. Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme which rises when something interferes with the flow of bile. Hepatitis, or the inflammation of the liver, is not caused by the alkaline...
The inflammation of the liver, otherwise known as hepatitis, is caused mainly by alcohol, certain drugs and the hepatitis virus. There are six different hepatitis viruses that can cause this disease; the hepatitis A virus has been associated with...
Hepatitis C, HCV, is a major cause of liver disease worldwide, and of the 40,000 Americans that become acutely infected each year, mainly from intravenous drug use, 85 percent go on to develop chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis C is a lifelong...
When diagnosing hepatitis B, doctors frequently start by asking questions about recent behaviors that may have put a person at risk for the virus. Such behaviors include unprotected sexual activity, sharing needles for drugs or getting a tattoo...
Alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, and aspartate aminotransferase, AST, are the liver enzymes. ALT is mainly found in the liver, while AST is found in the liver and other tissues, organs and cells. These two enzymes are also normally in the...
When you see yellow rice or sauces in Indian dishes, the dish probably contains turmeric. This spice is found in the dried bulb of the turmeric plant. Scientists are interested in the turmeric plant because it contains curcumin, a powerful...
Stay under a doctor's care. Although the symptoms of Hepatitis C can come and go, it's important to see your doctor on a regular basis once you have a diagnosis. Hepatitis C is a chronic illness. however, you may not need treatment if tests show...
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control's and Prevention show that more than 50 percent of adults regularly drink alcohol, contributing to more than 22,000 deaths associated with alcohol, excluding accidents and deaths. Combine all types...
Hepatitis C is a virus that causes inflammation and damage to the liver. Although the initial viral infection rarely causes any serious symptoms, hepatitis C can cause a chronic infection that damages the liver. The National Institute of Allergy...
Hepatitis C is a virus that targets the liver. According to the CDC, approximately 17,000 people become infected with hepatitis C every year in the United States, though only 849 were reported in 2007. Of those 17,000 people, about four percent...
Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic steatosis, is most often associated with alcoholism, but it may occur in patients who are not heavy drinkers. In these individuals, common causes include obesity, diabetes, elevated triglycerides,...
Sexually-transmitted diseases, or STDs, are diseases that are spread and contracted through sexual contact. Many can cause serious complications or health problems, so it's important to get tested for STDs if you suspect that you may have been...
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus, which can be transmitted from one person to another through infected blood, semen and other bodily fluids. The transmission of hepatitis can occur through sex with an infected person, sharing drug...
After receiving a diagnosis of toxic hepatitis, your doctor will want to start treatment immediately. In some cases, the effects on the liver from toxic hepatitis can be reversed. Otherwise, you can develop irreversible scarring of the liver,...
Hepatitis is the inflammation, or irritation, of the liver by a chemical or microorganism such as hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C infection typically spreads by contamination of blood or by sexual contact. It's common in people who inject drugs,...
A person with a kidney disorder may or may not have any symptoms. Indeed, some people do not have any symptoms until the damage is severe. Blood in the urine is a sign there is damage at some point along the urinary tract. A high amount of protein...
Liver cirrhosis is the last stage of liver disease. By this time, the liver has suffered repeated injury. It is finally at the point where the damage is usually irreversible. The most common causes of liver cirrhosis in the United States are...
The fluid portion of the blood normally contains some amount of proteins, which fall into two categories: albumin or globulin. These proteins are important for the tissues throughout the body as albumin prevents fluids from leaking out of blood...
Hepatitis is a term used to describe inflammation of the liver. Any agent that injures your liver's cells can cause hepatitis, including bacteria and viruses, toxins, medications or even excess dietary fat. Most causes of hepatitis are reversible,...
After the skin, the liver is the largest organ in the human body and is responsible for the metabolism of food and the removal of toxins from your system. Because mild to moderate liver damage is often symptom free, elevated liver enzymes are...
Primary liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver itself. Learn about liver cancer symptoms, treatments and diagnosis in this video on health and diseases.
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease carried in the blood and caused by the hepatitis C virus infecting the liver after blood-to-blood contact. Learn more about hepatitis C, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
Hepatitis A is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus and usually contracted by consuming contaminated food or water. Learn more about hepatitis A, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
Hepatitis B is liver inflammation that results from a DNA virus. Learn more about hepatitis B, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
