• The body’s immune system (which is designed to protect you against infections) mistakes your bile duct cells in the liver as foreign objects and attacks them
• When this happens, this causes inflammation and progressive damage to the liver ducts

• PBC will not go away and can get worse
• But, with proper treatment, it is possible to manage PBC

• Bile ducts play an important role in maintaining a healthy liver
• PBC damages the bile ducts, causing a buildup of bile in the liver (known as cholestasis)
• Cholestasis can cause harmful scarring, known as fibrosis
• When fibrosis gets worse, it can result in cirrhosis – which severely interferes with the liver function
• In PBC, cirrhosis is not related to drinking alcohol

• The exact cause is still unknown; however, it is known that PBC is not caused by drinking alcohol
• PBC is not your fault and it’s not contagious
• Environmental toxins, such as cigarette smoke or chemical exposure, may play a role in causing PBC
• Scientists believe that PBC can be inherited - if someone in your family has PBC, other members are more likely to have it

A disease that starts spontaneously and without an obvious cause

Related to or affecting the bile ducts in the liver

Inflammation of the bile ducts