Toxin-Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis Caused by Raw Cashew Nuts
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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Induction of Drug-Induced, Autoimmune Hepatitis in BALB/c Mice for the Study of Its Pathogenic Mechanisms
Published on: May 29, 2020
James F Crismale1, Ashley Stueck2, Meena Bansal1
1Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
Abstract:
A 64-year-old man with no past medical history presented with abnormally elevated liver enzymes 1 year after developing a diffuse rash thought to be related to eating large quantities of raw cashew nuts. Liver biopsy was performed, which revealed features concerning for drug- or toxin-induced autoimmune hepatitis. The patient began treatment with azathioprine and prednisone, and liver enzymes normalized. We describe a unique case of a toxin-induced autoimmune hepatitis precipitated not by a drug or dietary supplement but by a food product.
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