hepatitis A

noun

: 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

Everyone should be immunized against hepatitis A, a virus that is a common cause of gastrointestinal illness in many parts of the world. —Perri Klass, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

So far, three states have ongoing hepatitis A outbreaks. —Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024

Halsey points out that this pattern is not unique to measles: Chicken pox and hepatitis A are also milder in children than in adults. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025

This group of viruses includes adenovirus, rotavirus, and hepatitis A virus. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025

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 (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

see havrix