The Liver
Your liver is the largest organ in your body and plays an essential role in regulating life processes. It performs many vital functions such as:
- Converting food into chemicals for life and growth
- Detoxifying and removing substances poisonous to the body
- Manufacturing important substances needed by the rest of the body
You simply cannot live without your liver.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. It may occur with limited or no symptoms but sometimes leads to fever and jaundice—a yellowish tint to the skin, eyeballs and urine that is caused by a build-up of bile in the body. The three main forms of hepatitis—called A, B and C—are all caused by a virus.
According to the Center for Disease Control, viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. In the United States, an estimated 1.2 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis B and 3.2 are living with chronic hepatitis C. Many do not know they are infected. Each year an estimated 25,000 persons become infected with Hepatitis A; 43,000 with hepatitis B, and 17,000 with hepatitis C.
Acute Viral Hepatitis
Acute viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by a hepatitis virus. In most cases, the disease onsets suddenly and lasts only a few weeks. It can cause anything from symptoms of the flu to fatal liver failure. The symptoms, if any, usually develop quickly and may include: loss of appetite, nausea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In most people, special treatment is not needed, however, people with severe acute hepatitis may require hospitalization. People with acute viral hepatitis usually recover in 4 to 8 weeks and should avoid alcohol until they have fully recovered.
Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Chronic viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by a virus that lasts at least 6 months. For most people, there are usually no symptoms until serious liver damage has developed. If symptoms manifest, they often include fatigue, poor appetite, and abdominal discomfort. Chronic viral hepatitis is most commonly caused by hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus and can lead to complications such as cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer if left unmonitored and/or treated.