Q: I am 38 years old female. I have had 3 attacks of jaundice. Please advise how to take care of my health and prevent jaundice from recurring.

A:Every episode or attack of jaundice needs to be investigated and the patient needs to be seen by a doctor (experienced physician) to identify the cause of jaundice. Jaundice has many causes like infections (viral hepatitis, malaria etc), drugs, surgical causes like gall stones, cholecystitis, etc. I hope that you have been examined by a doctor and appropriately investigated to identify the cause of jaundice. Viral hepatitis is an infection caused by viruses. Some of them are blood borne viruses like Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C which are usually transmitted by infected blood, needle stick injury, and can be transmitted sexually as well. Hepatitis A and E are the ones which are transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food and water as there is feco-oral transmission of the virus. Hence scrupulous attention is needed in terms of what we eat and drink. There are blood tests for virological investigations which can identify most of the time if it is due to a viral infection. I would suggest you to get yourself examined and investigated if there is anxiety and concern around her health