Final answer:
Symptoms of hepatitis that Thomas might experience due to disrupted liver functions include jaundice, dark urine, gray stool, and loss of appetite. Hepatic encephalopathy could occur with severe liver damage, and chronic conditions like hepatitis C can cause progressive liver injury. Liver function tests are used to diagnose hepatitis by detecting elevated liver enzymes in the blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas may experience a range of symptoms due to the effects of hepatitis on his liver's blood-related functions. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying the blood, producing important blood proteins, and breaking down substances like hemoglobin. In the context of hepatitis, which causes inflammation of the liver, symptoms can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, nausea, vomiting, gray stool, joint pain, and loss of appetite.
With acute conditions like severe acetaminophen poisoning or viral hepatitis A, the liver's impaired ability to detoxify blood may result in hepatic encephalopathy, a decline in brain function. Chronic hepatitis, such as hepatitis C, often goes unnoticed as it can be asymptomatic, but it still causes low-level liver damage over time. Tests for hepatitis evaluate blood for liver enzymes and bilirubin levels, which indicate liver health.