hepatitis C

noun

: 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.

Examples of hepatitis C in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Now, hepatitis C can be cured 95% of the time with pills in as little as eight weeks. John Whyte, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2023 But a full victory over hepatitis C will not be accomplished only by testing those in high-risk groups, Tilghman added. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023 That was the case for William Glover-Bey, who was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1992. Jon Lapook, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2023 Free hepatitis C testing is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7 Aberdeen Shopping Plaza in Aberdeen. Katia Parks, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2023 In 2015, nearly 30% of proteins used as treatments for a wide range of diseases like hepatitis C and multiple sclerosis were derived from E. coli. Megan Keller, The Conversation, 5 July 2023 Related: With an $11 billion price tag, the White House pitches a plan to end hepatitis C More than 2 million people in the U.S. have hepatitis C, and nearly 15,000 died from the infection in the year 2020. Abdullahi Tsanni, STAT, 29 June 2023 At least initially, the state wants to import drugs to treat conditions such as HIV and AIDS, hepatitis C, diabetes and mental illness, according to court documents. Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2023 Each month, organizations come out for a service fair to help encampment dwellers with everything from clearing criminal records, applying for housing and receiving food and medical services such as blood tests, hepatitis C testing, prescription refills and physicals. Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hepatitis C.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hepatitis C was in 1978

Dictionary Entries Near hepatitis C

Cite this Entry

“Hepatitis C.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hepatitis%20C. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.

Medical Definition

hepatitis C

noun
: 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.

More from Merriam-Webster on hepatitis C

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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