acute hepatitis

acute hepatitis

Clinical medicine Liver inflammation of abrupt onset, which may be due to a viral infection–eg HAV or toxins Clinical Low-grade fever, anorexia, N&V, fatigue, malaise, headache, photophobia, pharyngitis, cough; later, dark urine, light stool, jaundice, hepatomegaly, ± splenomegaly, ± lymphadenopathy Diagnosis Liver biopsy; ↑ transaminases–ALT, AST, ↑ virus-specific IgG or IgM Pathology Diffuse lymphocytic and plasmacytic inflammation, patchy–piecemeal necrosis, and liver cell degeneration in the form of either lytic–ballooning or coagulative–acidophilic degeneration; AH may be accompanied by a collapse of the central reticulin fibers surrounding the hepatocytes; activated Kupffer cells may be filled with phagocytic debris. Cf Chronic hepatitis.