hepatitis B

noun

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected bodily fluids (such as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also serum hepatitis

Examples of hepatitis B in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Infants and children who are infected with hepatitis B are more likely to develop chronic disease, including about 90% of infants and 30% of children ages 1 to 5. —Katherine Dillinger, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025

After decades of guidance that recommended that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine the day they are born, a federal vaccine advisory committee voted to change that. —Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025

Following two days of meetings in early December, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the hepatitis B dose at birth only for newborns whose mothers test positive for the hepatitis B virus. —Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 14 Dec. 2025

In 1991, the committee recommended an initial dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. —Arkansas Online, 6 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hepatitis B

• actuary
• antiquary
• bolsheviki
• calliope
• chelicerae
• covenantee
• cruciferae
• diastole
• distributee
• hyperbole
• interviewee
• origami

Medical Definition

hepatitis B

noun

-ˈbē 

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected body fluids (such as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also homologous serum hepatitis, homologous serum jaundice, serum hepatitis