What condition affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis?

Hepatitis is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver and is directly linked to the development of cirrhosis, which is the scarring of liver tissue. When a person is infected with hepatitis, especially chronic forms such as hepatitis B or C, the ongoing inflammation can lead to significant damage over time. This damage may result in the replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue, leading to cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis can impair liver function, affecting the body's ability to detoxify harmful substances, produce essential proteins, and manage blood clotting. It's important to note that while other conditions like diabetes may have associations with liver health, they do not inherently lead to cirrhosis in the same direct manner as hepatitis. Similarly, hypertension, which affects blood pressure, and cholecystitis, which pertains to the inflammation of the gallbladder, do not have a direct causal relationship with the degeneration of liver tissue that leads to cirrhosis.