hepatitis A

American

noun

Pathology.

a normally minor form of hepatitis caused by an RNA virus that does not persist in the blood: usually transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water.

hepatitis A British

noun

a form of hepatitis caused by a virus transmitted in contaminated food or drink

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hepatitis A

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Parents in a seaside town have been urged to ensure children wash their hands thoroughly, particularly after using the bathroom, following a hepatitis A outbreak.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

The AAP recommends that all children receive vaccines for hepatitis A and B, Covid-19, influenza, rotavirus and meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and other infections.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

But now they are only recommending vaccinations against meningococcal disease, hepatitis B, and hepatitis A to children who broadly face a higher risk of infections.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced sweeping changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, removing broad recommendations for immunization against such diseases as flu, hepatitis A, rotavirus, and meningitis.

From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026

He’d been preaching the importance of hepatitis A vaccination around the hospital, and he admitted his embarrassment to me.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023