LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Liver: Liver Center
built 633 days ago
Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver that affects an estimated 4 million Americans and contributes to approximately 8,000 to 10,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This toll is expected to triple by the year 2010. Hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver disease, and associated end-stage liver disease is the most frequent indication for liver transplantation among adults. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that only about 25 percent of Americans infected with hepatitis C are aware they have the disease and receive appropriate treatment.
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Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 350 million people worldwide have chronic infections. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate nearly 78,000 people each year are newly infected with hepatitis B.
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The liver, the largest organ in the body, is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, and removes germs and bacteria from the blood. It makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. This organ is the main industrial center of the body, and it has the enormous task of maintaining the body's metabolic equilibrium (homeostasis). The liver:
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Because blood flows from the periphery toward the center of each liver lobule, hepatocytes in the periphery respond first to whatever demands are placed upon them by incoming blood. Peripheral cells are therefore most vulnerable and first to damaged by incoming insults, such as alcohol or other toxins. With sufficient liver damage, many portal areas may collapse together (portal collapse, WebPath).
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Throughout history, humankind has thought there was something special about the liver of mammals. The Babylonians were the first to use a sheep’s liver for divination. Many ancient cultures, from the most advanced to the most primitive, have believed that the liver was the center and the source of life.
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Obtaining the donated liver is the responsibility of one of several organ procurement organizations (OPO) around the country. The OPO for Penn State Hershey Medical Center is the Gift of Life Donor Program. The Network will search for the best match for you based upon factors such as blood type and organ size.
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