for Veterans and the Public
Other liver diseases - Liver Basics
Aside from viral hepatitis, the most common liver problems in the United States are:
Some genetic disorders cause the liver to build up toxic substances. These include:
- Hemochromatosis (too much iron)
- Wilson's disease (too much copper)
Other less common liver diseases include:
- Autoimmune hepatitis (the body attacks its own liver cells)
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis (the liver's large bile ducts become blocked, leading to infection, jaundice, and eventual cirrhosis)
- Primary biliary cirrhosis (liver's small bile ducts become inflamed and bile backs up, leading to itchy skin, jaundice, and eventual cirrhosis)
Liver Basics: Entire Lesson
