hepatitis A

noun

: an acute usually benign hepatitis that is caused by a picornavirus (Hepatovirus ahepa), 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

The decision halted an order by Kennedy -- announced in January -- to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. —Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026

The decision stops sweeping changes to childhood vaccine recommendations the federal government made in January, including no longer advising all children be vaccinated against the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. —Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026

The decision halts an order by Kennedy — announced in January — to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. —Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026

The change dropped recommendations that all babies should be protected against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, RSV, dengue and two types of bacterial meningitis. —Erika Edwards, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026

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 (Hepatovirus ahepa), 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, infectious jaundice

see havrix