hepatitis B

noun

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a DNA virus (species Hepatitis B virus of the genus Orthohepadnavirus, family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected bodily fluids (such as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also serum hepatitis

Examples of hepatitis B in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Viral infections, like hepatitis B and C, can weaken your liver. —Devineé Lingo, M.s., Rdn, Health, 9 Sep. 2024

Students receiving a third dose of polio vaccine after the 4th birthday are not required to receive additional doses 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine 4 doses of DTaP or another combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. —Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024

Certain chronic viral diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B, can cause persistent, low-level inflammation that progressively damages the kidneys. —Kashif J. Piracha, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024

Joe Cohen, who helped lead the development of the RTS,S malaria vaccine at GSK, leveraged the company’s prior work on a hepatitis B vaccine. —Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hepatitis B

noun

-ˈbē 

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus (species Hepatitis B virus of the genus Orthohepadnavirus, family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected body fluids (as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also serum hepatitis