My brother gets jaundice every 3 to 4 months. Why?

Question

Hello doctor,

My brother has jaundice, which comes after every three to four months. He feels very low and lazy, and his body becomes yellow. He also has a fever. We do not know why he gets sick every three months. The doctors say that the number of cells in his body that are getting destroyed are more than the cells that are created. This according to him, is the reason of recurring jaundice. We are really confused. Can you tell me what is actually happening?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thanks for your query.

There are a number of causes of jaundice. Some of them are viral infections, (like hepatitis A, B, C, and E), certain medications, obstruction in the bile duct, and hemolytic anemia.

Recurring jaundice is said when the level of bilirubin becomes normal and again rises otherwise it is an ongoing infection. According to your doctor, it is due to increased destruction of red blood cells, which means it is due to hemolytic anemia. It is mostly due to antibodies IgG or IgM in the serum.

You can get a Coombs test to confirm the presence of antibodies in the serum, which is causing the destruction of RBC (red blood cells). This results in jaundice. You can discuss these guidelines with your doctor.

If you have any further query, please feel free to ask. Thanks.

For more information consult an internal medicine physician online.