Hepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver.
Causes
Hepatitis can be caused by:
- Immune cells in the body attacking the liver
- Infections from viruses (such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C), bacteria, or parasites
- Liver damage from alcohol or poison
- Medicines, such as an overdose of acetaminophen
- Fatty liver
Liver disease can also be caused by inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis or hemochromatosis, a condition that involves having too much iron in your body.
Other causes include Wilson's disease, a disorder in which the body retains too much copper.