Viral hepatitis is a general term that is reserved for infections of the liver caused by one of at least six distinct hepatitis viruses, designated hepatitis virus A, B, C, D, E, and G/GB. The human hepatitis viruses are a group of diverse pathogens that share an ability to cause inflammation and necrosis of the liver. The most notable sign of this disease is jaundice, an orange-yellow discoloration of the scleroproteins of the skin and conjunctivae caused by the deposition of bilirubin in the blood resulting from faulty excretion of bile pigment by damaged hepatocytes.