Autoimmune Hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the system in the body that fights off disease (immune system) attacks the liver and causes it to become inflammed. Without treatment this condition gets worse. It can last for years and lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver failure.
CAUSES
The cause of this condition is not known.
RISK FACTORS
This condition is more likely to develop in:
Females.
People between the ages of 15 and 40.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of this condition include:
Fatigue (common).
A yellowish color to the skin, the whites of the eyes, and mucous membranes (jaundice).
Itching.
Rash.
Joint pain.
Discomfort in the abdomen.
Nausea.
Loss of appetite.
The definition for Hepatitis changes with whom you ask. To some it means a horrible painful way to die while others are able to look at it as a disease. The word Hepatitis means liver inflamation. The liver is a large, glandular, reddish-brown organ located in the upper right side of the abdomen. It consists of 5 lobes and secretes bile into the gallbladder and into the small intestine and aids in the digestion of lipids. Hepatitis is often caused by a virus. Hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common types in the United States but there is also a type
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver’s cells and tissues caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
The liver is a large organ of our body which is located beneath the right lung. It helps in the digestion of food and store the extra energy for future use. It also helps fights the infection and cleans your blood. Liver also has an amazing regenerative capacity after injury. All these activities ultimately provide a healthy life to us. Any alterations in the liver function will put our life in danger.1 Inflammation is the first sign of liver damage. During inflammation, the liver get enlarged and stiff. This is a sign that liver is trying the heal the damage. However, unlike inflammation of other organs of the body, it is hard to feel any change or pain when the liver
The Human Body is an oasis of life. Still, every waking moment of our lives, our bodies endure vicious attacks. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, microbes, toxins, and parasites - I like to think of them as invaders from the outside world. Each invader is equipped with its own specialized method of attack. On a microscopic level, our bodies fight a life-long war. As the battle rages, our immune system kicks in and protects us against the perils of illness. The immune system is not made up of one particular tissue or organ. Instead, an arsenal of defense cells; including lymphocytes, bone marrow, and leukocytes join forces to keep us healthy. Besides the occasional times we get caught in the crossfire with a common cold, a healthy immune system keeps
Autoimmune disease- any of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissues (the definition from wordnetweb.pronceton.edu).
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in the general family of lupus. For reasons that are not understood, in rheumatoid arthritis the immune system goes awry and begins attacking tissues, especially cartilage in the joints. Various joints become red, hot, and swollen under the onslaught. The pattern of inflammation is usually symmetrical, occurring on both sides of the body. Other symptoms include inflammation of the eyes, nodules (or lumps) under the skin, and a general feeling of malaise.
You are born with this disease. When first born you are perfectly healthy and active, but then you develop signs and symptoms of this disorder. Some signs and symptoms you may get are enlarged liver and spleen, poor weight gain, low muscle tone, yellow tint in the skin, vomiting, diarrhea, low amounts of iron in the blood, and poor absorption of nutrients from foods. Children that are affected
As the disease progresses the pulse slows and weakens, bleeding of the gums, and bloody urine occur. In more severe, usually fatal cases, jaundice occurs, which is what the disease is named for. Jaundice is when the patient's skin turns yellow and is the final definitive test to detect yellow fever, although by that stage it is usually too late. In the rare cases where people recover from the disease, the person develops an immunity to the disease.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is most commonly caused by viruses, and can cause your liver to become inflamed, swollen and tender. The symptoms of Hepatitis start out like the flu with coughing, fever, aches, and vomiting. However, the disease gradually worsens with symptoms of extreme weakness and excruciating abdominal pain. Never the less, Hepatitis can also be caused by alcohol and some other toxins and infections. There are many forms of Hepatitis; the most commonly seen forms are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis c. Furthermore, Worldwide, 500 million people are estimated to be infected with Hepatitis B or C. These viruses kill 1.5 million people a year; 1 in every 3 people has been exposed to either or both viruses and most infected people do not know about it due to dormant symptoms.
Autoimmune diseases pertain to the immune system, and the body’s immune system will treat natural parts of the body such as organs or tissues as pathogens and will actively break them down. Multiple Sclerosis specifically is considered an immune mediated process, not a true autoimmune disease. This is due to the fact that a proper immune response to a pathogen is occurring, however the specific antigen that the immune response is targeting has not yet been determined. Multiple Sclerosis mainly affects the brain and spinal cord, or the Central Nervous System. Within the Central Nervous System, or CNS, the structures mostly affected by this disease would be the myelin and the nerves it protects. If the myelin is damaged, then scar tissue will form.
Cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States. Cirrhosis affects one of the largest organs in the body, the liver. It is a condition that slowly worsens the liver and is unable to function normally due to chronic injury. Cirrhosis consists of four stages with the fourth stage being the most advanced stage of cirrhosis. When healthy liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis) it’s known as a degenerative disease called cirrhosis. Chronic alcoholism is the leading cause of cirrhosis due to excessive drinking of alcohol, which causes the liver to swell. In sequence with alcoholism and hepatitis C, or alone obesity can be a risk factor in developing cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease that can affect many individuals if the condition is not caught in early stages it can become deadly.
Autoimmunity is the failure of the body’s defence system in recognizing its own constituent parts as self, as a result of which an immune response is generated against its own cells and tissues.
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. It may cause fever, malaise, anorexia, nausea, and abdominal discomfort, followed within a few days by jaundice the disease ranges in clinical severity from a mild illness lasting 1–2 weeks to a severely disabling disease lasting several months. Good personal hygiene and proper sanitation can help prevent Hepatitis A. Transmission may occur by direct person-to-person contact; or from contaminated water, ice, or shellfish from contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked, but which may become contaminated during handling. Hepatitis A can affect anyone
She decides to ask her doctor about it. He tells her that there is a study which determined that detection of autoantibodies against two specific autoantigens of Autoimmune Hepatitis could lead to fewer chances of misdiagnosis (8). The doctor adds that Autoimmune Hepatitis is associated with low serum albumin as well as elevated levels of IgG serotype antibodies (7). Based on Tia’s bloodwork, the doctor diagnosed her with Type 1 Autoimmune Hepatitis, the most common form of Autoimmune Hepatitis in North America; this form also typically begins in early adulthood and is more common in females
Hepatitis is caused by a virus that is targeted at the liver, one of your most important organs!! Specifically, it causes inflammation and injury to the liver. Hepatitis comes in many different forms, five to be exact. There is Hepatitis A, B, C, D & E. Hepatitis is caused mainly by viruses, all of which are set on shutting down your liver. I will be specifically concentrating on Hepatitis A in this report. Hepatitis A is also known as infectious Hepatitis, an extremely contagious viral infection that often effects young children and young adults, especially those in large groups. It has been known to break out in schools, summer camps and music festivals etc.