hepatitis A

noun

Definition of hepatitis A

: 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 In 2017, the WHO endorsed a hepatitis A vaccine developed by Sinovac for global use, but the company was relatively small before the pandemic, with sales more than doubling in 2020 from a little more than $246 million in 2019. — Drew Hinshaw, WSJ, 26 May 2021 In 2018, for example, a study of 350,240 Medicare and 12,599 Medicaid enrollees receiving multidose vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B found completion rates could be as low as 19 percent, and only went as high as 48.9 percent. — Steven W. Thrasher, Scientific American, 10 May 2021 In 2018, for example, then-Assemblyman Todd Gloria requested the state audit committee review the San Diego city and county response to the hepatitis A outbreak that killed 20 people and sickened almost 600 others. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2021 Vaccines for chickenpox, rubella, and hepatitis A are all similarly made by growing the viruses in fetal cells. — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2021 Faulconer quickly changed direction following the hepatitis A outbreak that peaked in 2017 and eventually killed 20 people and sickened nearly 600. — Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2021 Montana’s Democratic Party cited the hepatitis A outbreak when Meier was nominated for the Treasure State job in January, slamming him as unsuitable. — Katheryn Houghton And Laura Ungar, The Courier-Journal, 28 Feb. 2021 Vaccines for chickenpox, rubella and hepatitis A, for example, were made by growing viruses in fetal embryo cells, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. — Marina Starleaf Riker, ExpressNews.com, 16 Dec. 2020 Cell lines derived from fetal tissue that was aborted, often decades ago, are often used in medical research, and have played a role in the development of vaccines against polio, chickenpox, hepatitis A and shingles. — Ian Lovett, WSJ, 2 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hepatitis A.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

5 Jun 2021

Cite this Entry

“Hepatitis A.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hepatitis%20A. Accessed 23 Jun. 2021.

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More Definitions for hepatitis A

hepatitis A

noun

\ -ˈā

Medical Definition of hepatitis A

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