| Things That Can Go Wrong
with the Liver
Although the body works best when the liver is functioning at full
capacity, a person is able to live if only a small part (10–20%)
of their liver is working. When healthy liver tissue is hurt, it
is harder for the liver to work as it normally should. The more
damage that occurs, the weaker the liver becomes.
Some Disorders of the Liver include…
Hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver.
It is caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, radiation, drugs,
chemicals, or other toxins. There are many different types of viral
hepatitis; each virus is spread in a different way and causes different
symptoms. Among the viral types of hepatitis, Hepatitis A, B, and
C are the ones most people get.
Hepatitis A or HAV, is spread by direct or indirect
touching of feces or items that have feces on them. Eating contaminated,
raw or undercooked shellfish; eating food or drinking water polluted
with feces; and having sex, particularly oral-anal contact (rimming)
are ways in which a person can get Hepatitis A. There are vaccines
available that protect against Hepatitis A (Havrix, Vaqta).
Hepatitis B or HBV is primarily spread through
unprotected sexual intercourse and sharing contaminated needles
because blood, semen and vaginal fluid have large amounts of the
virus. Sharing toothbrushes, razors, or nail files with someone
who has Hepatitis B is another way to spread the virus, although
it is rare. Hepatitis B is much more easily transmitted than HIV,
but fortunately there are vaccines available to protect against
it (Engerix-B, Recombivax HB, Heptavax).
Hepatitis C or HCV and HIV co-infection is widespread.
Look at the following pages to learn more about how the Hepatitis
C virus is transmitted and how it affects the liver. There is no
vaccine for Hepatitis C.
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver that cannot
be healed. Many chronic liver diseases end in cirrhosis. It happens
when the liver is hurt over and over. This can be caused by too
much alcohol or recreational drugs, chronic viral hepatitis, repeated
exposure to toxic chemicals, and cancers.
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