Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune Hepatitis is a disease that could strike at any moment and affects one in 10,000 people.
Autoimmune disorders are the result of the body’s immune system attacking its own tissues, identifying them as foreign substances, and autoimmune hepatitis occurs when the immune system attacks the liver, resulting in severe inflammation.
The medical profession is still not decided on why the immune system acts like this, but doctors believe it may be a genetic susceptibility that can be triggered either by a virus, stress, a reaction to medicine or hormonal imbalance.
If the inflamed liver is left with permanent scars, or cirrhoses, its function can be impaired.
The liver clears toxins from the bloodstream, processes fats and helps digest food, and if it fails a hepatitis sufferer will need a transplant.
The condition is usually treated with steroids to reduce the liver inflammation and immunosuppressant drugs to prevent further damage.
With treatment, the condition can be controlled, but sometimes patients remain on medication for life.