Jaundice

Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin, sclera, and other membranes. It's caused by a buildup of bilirubin, an otherwise harmless byproduct of the processing of dead red blood cells by the spleen that is usually processed by the liver into other harmless byproducts. It can have several causes, but it's a classic sign of liver failure and, at least in adults, always indicates a serious underlying condition.
Jaundice indicates one of three things:
*That too many red blood cells are being destroyed, overwhelming the ability of the liver to cope with the bilirubin.
*That the liver is no longer processing bilirubin, a classic sign of liver failure and liver dysfunction caused by hepatitis or malaria.
*That the liver is processing the bilirubin, but the byproducts are not being properly disposed of in the bile. This can be caused by a blockage of the bile duct.
Jaundice at Wikipedia
Category:Symptoms