Acute – a short sharp illness that may be severe but from which most people will recover in a few weeks without lasting effects.
Albumin – the main protein in human blood, manufactured by the liver. Low albumin levels are an indication of liver damage.
ALT – stands for alanine aminotransferase, a liver enzyme that enters the blood following liver damage. An ALT test is used, for example, to monitor and assess the degree of damage in patients infected with chronic hepatitis B and other types of hepatitis.
Antibody – a specific immunoglobulin (protein) produced by the body as part of a defence reaction against an invading substance (antigen).
Antigen – a substance (it may be part of a virus) which is recognised by the body as foreign so the body’s immune defence can react by producing antibodies.
AST – stands for aspartate aminotransferase, a liver enzyme but less specific to the liver than ALT (see above). A raised AST level may follow a heart attack, for example.
Autoimmune – a type of disease where your body’s defences attack another part of the body.
Bile – a yellow/green fl uid made by your liver to help digest foods containing fat and cholesterol.
Bilirubin – a breakdown or waste product of haemoglobin. Increases of bilirubin in your blood can indicate liver disease, especially disease of the bile ducts.
Blood markers – substances measured in blood which may increase if infection or disease is present or suspected.
Chronic – an illness that lasts a long time (more than six months), possibly for the rest of a person’s life.
Encephalopathy – disturbed brain function leading to mental confusion and memory loss. Encephalopathy can follow the development of cirrhosis, for example.
Enzyme – a substance, usually a protein, produced by the body to help speed up a chemical reaction.
Hepatic – anything relating to the liver.
Immunoglobulins – large proteins that act as antibodies found in your body fl uids and cell tissues that bind to invading organisms, such as bacteria or viruses, to destroy them.
Inferior vena cava – the large vein that carries blood back to the heart from the lower part of the body.
Inflammation – the first response of the immune system to infection , commonly characterised by heat, swelling , pain and tenderness.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) – a test that gives a numerical value to your viral load
Prothrombin time – a test that measures the time it takes for your blood to clot.
Seroconversion – the point when thebody starts to make antibodies in response to the presence of an antigen (a foreign body), such as a bacterium, virus or vaccine.
Viral load – the amount of virus in your blood