The liver is the largest organ inside the body and is located under the right ribs and beneath the right lung. The liver has several functions. It secretes bile into the intestines to absorb fats, breaks down and stores nutrients, manufactures clotting factors needed to stop bleeding, and breaks down toxic agents, like alcohol and drugs. Once the toxic agents are broken down, they can be eliminated from the body through urine or stool. One of the causes of cirrhosis, the scarring of the liver, is alcoholism. A person cannot live without a liver, so liver shut down or liver failure is fatal.Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can progress to scarring (fibrosis) or liver cancer. Hepatitis can be caused by toxic substances, infection, or autoimmune diseases. Common viruses that cause hepatitis are referred to as types A, B, C, D, and E. It's possible to prevent hepatitis with a vaccine available for types A, B, and E.