[Asthenia, fever, jaundice in a 59-year-old man]

Jaundice, or icterus, is the yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, and mucous membranes. It happens when plasma bilirubin levels rise above 2.5-3 mg/dL, leading to bilirubin deposition in tissue.Bilirubin is a byproduct of hemoglobin degradation. In macrophages, hemoglobin breaks down into globin and heme. Globin is converted into amino acids, while heme is turned into biliverdin by heme oxygenase, which is then reduced to unconjugated bilirubin by biliverdin reductase.Unconjugated...

Liver and gallbladder diseases are a significant health concern, with prominent conditions including cirrhosis, hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and gallstones. Jaundice is a common manifestation of liver and biliary disease.
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, most commonly caused by obstruction of the cystic duct. This blockage prevents bile from draining, leading to gallbladder distension, inflammation, and potentially serious complications. This condition may present acutely or chronically and can happen with or without gallstones.EtiologyAbout 95% of cholecystitis cases are calculous, caused by gallstones blocking the cystic duct, leading to bile accumulation and inflammation of the gallbladder...

Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a member of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. After transmission through a mosquito bite, the virus initially replicates in skin-resident immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages. These cells then migrate to the lymph nodes, where viral replication increases, eventually leading to...

Cirrhosis is a chronic, irreversible liver disease characterized by the widespread replacement of healthy liver tissue with fibrotic scar tissue and the formation of regenerative nodules.Etiology of cirrhosisCirrhosis results from sustained liver injury that triggers progressive fibrosis and structural remodeling. The underlying causes are diverse, encompassing common and less frequent clinical conditions. Regardless of the origin, all causes lead to chronic inflammation, hepatocyte loss, and...

Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...