hepatitis A

noun

: an acute usually benign hepatitis that is caused by a picornavirus (species Hepatitis A virus of the genus Hepatovirus), is marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, and jaundice but may be asymptomatic, especially in children, and is transmitted especially in food and water contaminated with infected fecal matter

Note: Unlike other forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A is a short-term illness that does not progress to a chronic condition and does not typically cause permanent liver damage.

called also infectious hepatitis

Examples of hepatitis A in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Siri has contacted the FDA about pausing 13 other vaccines, the NYT reports, with his primary concern being the inclusion of aluminum in vaccines for diseases like hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Yet vaccine-preventable illnesses like hepatitis A and B or streptococcus pneumoniae still kill millions every year. —Dylan Matthews, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024

Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurants are slated to make a comeback more than two decades after closing amid a hepatitis A outbreak. TOURIST TAX – A popular vacation destination will implement a tax for every passenger on cruise ships that dock in the country. —Fox News Staff, Fox News, 5 Dec. 2024

The incident is the largest hepatitis A outbreak in the U.S., according to CNN. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hepatitis A

noun

-ˈā 

: an acute usually benign hepatitis that is caused by a picornavirus (species Hepatitis A virus of the genus Hepatovirus), is marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, and jaundice but may be asymptomatic, especially in children, and is transmitted especially in food and water contaminated with infected fecal matter

Note: Unlike other forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A is a short-term illness that does not progress to a chronic condition and does not typically cause permanent liver damage.

called also infectious hepatitis

see havrix