Is the jaundice in sickle cell disease catching?
Jaundice (yellow eyes) is common in SS disease and usually not due to liver disease, a cause of jaundice in the normal population. It is due to the rapid breakdown of blood cells. Jaundice may increase during fever or the painful crisis. If the yellowness becomes very marked, patients may have developed a liver problem or gallstones could have blocked the outflow from the liver. In such cases, patients should visit their doctors for a careful check-up.
