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

Less than a decade ago, our community experienced one of the largest hepatitis A outbreaks in modern history. —Francesca Torriani, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2026

That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. —Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026

Shots against seasonal flu, RSV, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap), pneumococcal infections, hepatitis A and B, and typhoid have all been linked to lower risks. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 15 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

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