DefinitionJaundice is a yellow color in the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow color comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jaundice is a sign of other diseases.This article discusses the possible causes of jaundice in children and adults. For information on jaundice in very young infants, see: Newborn jaundiceAlternative NamesCauses of jaundiceInformationCommon causes of jaundice in older children and adults include:Viral infection of the liver (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E)Parasite infection of the liverGallstonesCancer of the pancreasOther causes of jaundice include:Cancer of the pancreasDisorders present since birth that makes it hard for the body to breakdown bilirubin (such as Gilbert syndrome, Dubin-Johnson syndrome, Rotor syndrome, or Crigler-Najjar syndrome)Eating poisonous mushrooms or other poisonsImmune disorder that mistakenly attacks healthy liver tissue (autoimmune hepatitis)Liver damage caused by reduced oxygen or blood flow to the liverThe body destroys too many blood cells and the liver cannot handle them (hemolytic anemia)Use of certain drugs, including an overdose of acetaminophenGallbladder and bile duct disorders that can cause jaundice include:Blocked or narrowed bile ducts (by infection, tumor, stricture, or gallstones)Primary biliary cirrhosisBile build up in the gallbladder because of pressure in the belly area during pregnancy (jaundice of pregnancy)See also:Drug-induced cholestasisDrug-induced hepatitisReferencesLidofsky SD. Jaundice. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 20.Reviewed ByReview Date: 04/17/2011David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.