Definition:
Toxic hepatitis is liver inflammation that occurs when the liver is damaged by toxic chemicals, drugs or certain poisonous mushrooms.
Diagnosis:
To diagnose toxic hepatitis, the doctor will likely perform a physical exam and take a complete medical history.
Treatment:
No particular treatment exists for most kinds of toxic hepatitis. Acute acetaminophen overdose is an exception wherein the chemical acetylcysteine is an effective antidote if given within 24 hours of the overdose. The sooner the medication is given, the better the outcome. For almost all cases of drug-induced toxic hepatitis, stopping the medication is the only treatment. Some people improve rapidly once they're no longer exposed to the drug, especially if the problem is caught early. For others, recovery may take several months.
Symptoms and Signs:
Mild forms of toxic hepatitis may not result to any noticeable problems and may be detected only by blood tests. When signs and symptoms occur, they're similar to those caused by other types of hepatitis, such as: yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice), fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, and dark or tea-colored urine.
Causes:
Some toxins always damage or destroy the liver. Dry cleaning solvents and the aptly named deathcap (amanita) mushroom are among the group. They have poisons that overwhelm the liver's ability to process them, and the resulting toxic byproducts destroy liver cells. If enough cells are destroyed, the liver can no longer function properly (liver failure).
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