hepatitis B

noun

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the 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

In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped recommending that all newborns get the hepatitis B vaccine, which has been highly effective at fighting a virus that can lead to lifelong infections and liver cancer. —Duaa Eldeib, CNN Money, 8 May 2026

Federal officials then reduced the number of vaccines recommended for children, no longer broadly recommending flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. —Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped recommending that all newborns get the hepatitis B vaccine, which has been highly effective at fighting a virus that can lead to lifelong infections and liver cancer. —Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 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, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hepatitis B

• actuary
• antiquary
• bolsheviki
• calliope
• chelicerae
• covenantee
• cruciferae
• diastole
• distributee
• hyperbole
• interviewee
• origami

Medical Definition

hepatitis B

noun

-ˈbē 

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the 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 (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 homologous serum hepatitis, homologous serum jaundice, serum hepatitis