VIRAL HEPATITIS

The upper picture at right is of normal liver cells as seen through the microscope.  The dark pink areas are the liver cells.  Blood flows between the cells and chemical exchanges take place between the liver cells and the blood.

The lower picture is of the liver of an addict with viral hepatitis (a type of yellow jaundice).  The infection was contracted from a dirty needle.  You can see how the liver cells have been destroyed by the virus.  Had this person survived the infection, his liver would have been badly scarred.

While talking with a drug abuser, a doctor asked him if he was aware of the danger of contracting hepatitis.  He told the doctor he was.  The doctor then asked what he did to avoid infection.  The man replied, "We make sure the yellow guy is the last one to use the needle."

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