JAUNDICE in newborns is usually harmless and lasts only for a short time, but when you see an adult with yellow skin, it implies a serious health problem that requires urgent medical attention.

A sign, not a disease

Jaundice is a sign of many diseases. There is a yellow discolouration of the skin and sclera (the whites of the eyes) due to excess bilirubin circulating in the body. This is normally accompanied by very dark urine, pale stools (if patients have bile duct obstruction), and other symptoms, such as itchy skin and occasional nausea and loss of appetite.

Why is there excess bilirubin? Bilirubin is actually a natural "waste product" arising from the normal breakdown of old red blood cells (RBC) in your body. Under normal circumstances, bilirubin undergoes certain processes in the liver before it is excreted. Bilirubin metabolites are formed in the gut and passed out in the urine and faeces. Bilirubin is also the pigment that gives your urine and faeces colour.

Many reasons can contribute to excess bilirubin in the blood. It is mostly due to problems in the liver or obstruction in the bile ducts, both of which can lead to jaundice. In rare cases, excessive bilirubin is due to haemolytic anaemia, a disorder where an abnormally large number of red blood cells are broken down.