4. Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a severe liver infection that causes the liver to become inflamed. When the liver is inflamed or swollen, it can’t work properly. This means it can’t filter bilirubin properly and allows it to build up in the body. Hepatitis is treatable and in many cases, it’s completely curable. It can be hard to detect, and many people don’t show symptoms until the disease has progressed and become severe. If the liver is damaged too severely from hepatitis, it may take some time to heal.
During this time, the bilirubin levels will continue to increase. Medication may be needed to help get the liver working properly and to improve levels. People who have hepatitis and don’t know it may have elevated bilirubin levels for long periods of time and not know it too. The problem can be diagnosed with a blood test and there are also vaccines available to protect against certain types of hepatitis.