What causes jaundice?

Jaundice (JAWN-dis) is a yellowish discoloration of the skin and of the whites of the eyes. It is caused by accumulation in the body of a bile pigment called bilirubin (bil-e-ROO-bin). Jaundice is not itself a disease, but it is a sign of several disorders that affect the liver, the blood, the gallbladder, or bile, which is a fluid secreted by the liver to aid in the digestion of fats. The medical term for jaundice is icterus (IK-ter-us).

What causes jaundice?

A virus called Hepatitis A, is a common cause of infective jaundice. This virus is transmitted through water and food. Children are often affected. The other viruses such as Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses are transmitted through blood. Viruses responsible for these infections spread through the body secretions like saliva, sweat, semen, vaginal fluids of infected persons. Close contact and sexual intercourse are important factors in spread. Homosexuals contract these infections more easily.

Bilirubin is normally transported to the liver, where it's processed before being eliminated from the body. But newborns initially have more bilirubin than their livers can handle, and the excess causes their skin and, sometimes, the whites of their eyes to turn yellow. This type of jaundice, called physiologic jaundice, typically appears on the second or third day of life.

Hepatocellular jaundice - bilirubin cannot leave the liver cells and get into the bile to be removed by from the body by the kidneys. This type of jaundice is usually caused by liver failure, liver disease (cirrhosis), hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) or taking certain drugs. It may also be caused by a tumour in the liver, or a tumour elsewhere that has spread to the liver. People who have been drinking excess amounts of alcohol over a length of time can do serious damage to their liver.

Jaundice is caused by excess levels of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a naturally occurring product that is produced by the breakdown of red blood cells, and low levels are always present in the blood. Mild jaundice is common in babies, especially those who are premature.

Common Causes Of Jaundice:

Obstruction of bile ducts which can take place due to gallstones or inflammation of the liver

* Malaria
* Typhoid
* Yellow fever
* Tuberculosis

High levels of bilirubin in the blood may result from problems originating either within the liver or outside the liver. Damage to the liver, such as that due to inflammation or scarring, can impair its ability to excrete bilirubin into bile. Alternatively, the bile ducts, which carry bile from the liver to the small intestine, may be blocked, for example, by a gallstone or a tumor. Less commonly, overproduction of bilirubin, due to excessive breakdown of red blood cells, can overwhelm the liver with more bilirubin than the liver is capable of processing.

Moreover, the liver has also a very important function in developing jaundice. The liver is tasked to remove waste from the body specifically in the blood stream. As discussed above, bilirubin is a waste product of destroyed red blood cells. The liver should be removing the bilirubin from the blood and excrete it through the feces.