You Are Here » Miscellaneous » Liver Disease
Liver Disease
The liver has two parts, a right lobe and a smaller left lobe. Liver disease applies to many diseases and disorders that cause the liver to function improperly or cease functioning.
Alcoholic Liver Disease
Alcoholic liver disease is damage to the liver and its function due to alcohol abuse, and usually occurs after years of excessive drinking. The longer the alcohol use and the more alcohol that was consumed, the greater the likelihood of developing liver disease... Alcoholic Liver Disease
Amebic Liver Abscess
Also called Hepatic Amebiasis and Extraintestinal Amebiasis. Amebic liver abscess is a collection of pus in the liver caused by the intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the same organism that causes amebiasis, an infection of the intestines. The organism is carried by the blood from the intestines to the liver. The disease spreads through ingestion of cysts in fecally-contaminated food or water, use of human waste as fertilizer, and person-to-person contact. The infection occurs worldwide, but is most common in tropical areas where crowded living conditions and poor sanitation exist. Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and India have significant health problems associated with this disease.
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells. This immune response causes inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis. The word hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy alcohol use, bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis. Hepatitis is also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver. The most common types in the United States are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C... Autoimmune Hepatitis
Biliary Atresia
Biliary atresia is a serious but rare disease of the liver that affects newborn infants. The liver damage incurred from biliary atresia is caused by injury and loss (atresia) of the bile ducts that are responsible for draining bile from the liver... Biliary Atresia
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, pronounced - suh-ROH-sis, is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long term disease... Cirrhosis
 
Coccidioidomycosis
Disseminated (scatter or spread widely) coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) is a fungal infection caused by the dimorphic (having two forms) fungus Coccidioides immitis that spreads through the bloodstream and involves many organs. In the disseminated form of the disease, the infection may spread to the bones, lungs, liver, brain, skin, heart, and pericardium (sac around the heart)... Coccidioidomycosis.
Drug-Induced Cholestasis
Drug-induced cholestasis is the blockage of the flow of bile from the liver caused by medication. Many drugs cause cholestasis, but in general this condition is reversible after administration of the offending drug has stopped.
Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis is the most common form of iron overload disease. Hemochromatosis is a disorder that interferes with iron metabolism, which results in too much iron in the body. Hemochromatosis occurs when too much iron builds up in the liver. This leads to liver enlargement... Hemochromatosis.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A - Hepatitis (HEP-ah-TY-tis) A is inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it... Hepatitis A.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the liver due to the hepatitis B virus (HBV)... Hepatitis B.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a virus spread by blood transfusion and possibly by sexual intercourse or sharing needles with infected people. Hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Hepatitis C used to be called non-A, non-B hepatitis... Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis D (Delta Agent)
Hepatitis D (Delta Agent) - Delta agent is a type of virus called hepatitis D that causes symptoms only in people who have a hepatitis B infection... Hepatitis D (Delta Agent).
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is cancer of the liver. Cancer that begins in the liver is called primary liver cancer. In the United States, this type of cancer is uncommon. Risk factors for primary liver cancer include:
- Having hepatitis
- Having cirrhosis, or scarring of liver
- Being male
- Low weight at birth
Symptoms of hepatocellular carcinoma can include a lump or pain on the right side of your abdomen and yellowing of the skin. You may not have symptoms and the cancer may not be found until it is advanced, which makes it harder to treat. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or liver transplantation.
Secondary liver cancer - metastatic - is cancer that spreads to the liver from another part of the body, such as the colon, lungs, or breasts. This is common. When this happens, the disease is not liver cancer, it is named for the organ or the tissue in which it began.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic disease that causes the bile ducts in the liver to become inflamed and damaged and, ultimately, disappear... Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.
Pyogenic Liver Abscess
Pyogenic liver abscess is a pus-filled area within the liver. Common causes are an abdominal infection such as appendicitis or diverticulitis, or a perforated bowel. Other causes may be an infection in the blood, an infection of the biliary (liver secretion) tract, or trauma that damages the liver.
Reye's Syndrome
Reye's Syndrome (RS) is sudden (acute) brain damage (encephalopathy) and liver function problems of unknown cause. The syndrome has been associated with the use of aspirin to treat chickenpox or the flu in children. Reye syndrome is most often seen in children from 4 to 12 years old. Children with Reye syndrome get sick very suddenly. Although Reye's syndrome is primarily a children's disease, it can occur at any age... Reye's Syndrome.
Sclerosing Cholangitis
Sclerosing cholangitis is an inflammation of the bile ducts of the liver without a specified cause... Sclerosing Cholangitis.
Wilson's Disease
Wilson's Disease (WD) is a rare inherited disorder in which excessive amounts of copper accumulate in the body. Too much copper builds up in the liver and is slowly released into other parts of the body. The overload can cause severe liver and brain damage if not treated with medication. More about Wilson's Disease
Chronic Liver Disease Data - Statistics
Back To Top
References:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Office of Minority Health
July 2008
www.omhrc.gov
|