Disease

Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a condition which is characterised by a yellowish discolouration of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It is a symptom or clinical sign, not a disease by itself. The yellow colouration is caused by an excess amount of the bile pigment known as bilirubin in the body. Normally, bilirubin is formed by the breakdown of haemoglobin during the destruction of worn-out red blood cells. The pigment is then excreted by the liver into the bile via the bile ducts.