Dictionary
This is a small dictionary with hepatitis terms, or terms related to hepatitis.
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Antibody
- a protein secreted by the immune system in response to infection.
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Asymptomatic
- having no symptoms.
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Cirrhosis
is a condition in which scar tissue develops on the liver - to the extent where such scarring becomes extensive and is usually permanent.
It interferes with the normal functioning of the liver.
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Gastroenterologist
- a medical specialist who specialises in diseases of the liver, stomach, oesophagus and intestines.
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Haemoglobin
- a complex protein-iron compound in the blood that carries oxygen to the cells from the lungs and carbon dioxide away from the cells to the lungs
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HBV
- (abbr.)
Hepatitis B Virus.
- (abbr.)
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Hepatic failure
- The liver ceases to function
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Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver, caused by infectious or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain.
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Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Cancer of the liver. A malignant tumour arising in the liver, in most cases occurring as a complication following cirrhosis.
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Histopathology
- The study of the microscopic anatomical changes in diseased tissue.
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Incidence
- the number of new infections occurring in a given period of time within a specific community.
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Jaundice
- yellow skin colour that may result from severe hepatitis. Jaundice is rare in hepatitis C infection.
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Prevalence
- the number of cases of a type of hepatitis in the community at any one time, usually expressed as a percentage of the population.
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RNA
- Ribonucleic Acid, a genetic material similar to DNA. It often acts as a message that is delivered to cells prompting them to change and prepare for reproduction.
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RNA virus
Any of a group of viruses whose nucleic acid core is composed of RNA, including the picornaviruses, retroviruses, and paramyxoviruses.
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viral hepatitis
- A type of hepatitis caused by two distinct viruses, A and B; type A is also known as infectious hepatitis, type B as serum hepatitis.