hepatitis C

noun

|Updated on: 21 Jul 2018

Definition of hepatitis C

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a flavivirus (species Hepatitis C virus of the genus Hepacivirus), is often asymptomatic in its early stages but may be marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, and muscle and joint pain, and is usually transmitted by infected blood (such as by injection of an illicit drug, blood transfusion, or exposure to blood or blood products)

Note: The acute or short-term stage of hepatitis C typically progresses to a long-term or chronic infection which often leads to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

Recent Examples of hepatitis c from the Web

Treatments including blood transfusions infected thousands of patients with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1970s and 1980s.

— james freeman, WSJ, "Yet Another Reason to Thank the Founding Fathers," 3 July 2018
The communities are, and were, suffering from high rates of hepatitis C, which can be spread through unclean needles, discarded in public places or shared by drug users.

— terry demio, Cincinnati.com, "Needle exchanges to roll into Newport, Covington, offering drug users sterile equipment," 27 June 2018
The intent is to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV, the organization says.

— luke money, latimes.com, "Deadline is Monday to comment on proposed mobile needle-exchange program that would operate in Costa Mesa," 21 June 2018
The success stories include drugs that cure hepatitis C within months for most patients.

— charley grant, WSJ, "What Is Ailing the Drug Industry?," 22 June 2018
Breton had expressed concerns about the DOC’s readiness to take on medical care for more than 13,400 inmates, many of whom are entering the system with opioid addictions, the hepatitis C virus, and other illnesses.

— josh kovner, courant.com, "Medical Director Resigns From State's Embattled Prison Health System After 3 Months On Job," 13 June 2018
Needle exchanges seek to provide drug users with clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, like HIV and hepatitis C, and other dangers posed by needles.

— ben brazil, latimes.com, "Orange County rejects needle-exchange program, citing 'major health risks'," 8 June 2018
As of January, Medicaid covers hepatitis C treatment for all Pennsylvania patients.

— sarah gantz, Philly.com, "Hepatitis C patients routinely denied drugs in 45 states, a Penn study shows," 6 June 2018
Revlimid cost Medicare Part D $2.7 billion in 2016, trailing only Harvoni, which treats hepatitis C and is not on the FDA’s new list.

— sydney lupkin — kaiser health news, STAT, "Drug makers blamed for blocking generics have jacked up prices and cost U.S. billions," 23 May 2018

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

First Known Use of hepatitis c

1978

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

hepatitis C

noun \ -ˈsē \

medical Definition of hepatitis C

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a flavivirus (species Hepatitis C virus of the genus Hepacivirus), is often asymptomatic in its early stages but may be marked by fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, and muscle and joint pain, and is usually transmitted by infected blood (as by injection of an illicit drug, blood transfusion, or exposure to blood or blood products)

Note: The acute or short-term stage of hepatitis C typically progresses to a long-term or chronic infection which often leads to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.