Like other autoimmune disorders, this condition develops because a genetically defective immune system attacks the body's own cells and organsin this case, the liverafter being triggered by an environmental agent, probably a virus. Suspects include the measles virus, a hepatitis virus, or the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis. Hepatitis Caused by Alcohol and Drugs Alcohol. In the body, alcohol breaks down into various chemicals, some of which are very toxic in the liver. Because the liver plays such a major role in metabolizing drugs, hundreds of medications can cause reactions that are similar to those of acute viral hepatitis.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from two weeks to six months after starting drug treatment.
Among the drugs most prominently cited for liver interactions are halothane, isoniazid, methyldopa, phenytoin, valproic acid, and the sulfonamide drugs. All rights reserved.