hepatitis

American  

[hep-uh-tahy-tis] / ˌhɛp əˈtaɪ tɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. inflammation of the liver, caused by a virus or a toxin and characterized by jaundice, liver enlargement, and fever.

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hepatitis British  

/ ˌhɛpəˈtaɪtɪs /

noun

1. inflammation of the liver, characterized by fever, jaundice, and weakness See hepatitis A hepatitis B hepatitis C

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hepatitis Scientific  

/ hĕp′ə-tī′tĭs /

1. Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by any of various infectious agents or toxins, including alcohol and numerous chemical compounds. Symptoms usually include jaundice, fatigue, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain. There are five types of viral hepatitis: A, B,C, D, and E. Hepatitis A, an acute infection caused by a virus of the genus Hepatovirus is transmitted by contaminated food and water. Hepatitis B, caused by a virus of the genus Orthohepadnavirus and Hepatitis C, caused by a virus of the genus Hepacivirus, are more serious infections that are transmitted through infected bodily fluids such as blood and semen.

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hepatitis Cultural  

1. An inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is most often caused by a virus, but it can be the result of exposure to certain toxic agents, such as drugs or chemicals. One viral form of the disease is spread by contaminated food and water, and other forms by contaminated injection needles and blood transfusions. Symptoms of hepatitis include fever and jaundice.

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Etymology

Origin of hepatitis

From the Greek word hēpatîtis, dating back to 1720–30. See hepat-, -itis

Example Sentences

And it now recommends that families and healthcare providers engage in what is dubbed “shared clinical decision-making” for the once broadly recommended vaccines against rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A and B, and meningococcal disease.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

Beyda was involved in lining up funding for a controversial study of the hepatitis B vaccine in Guinea-Bissau without input from the agency’s center that oversees viral hepatitis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

Vir is developing a handful of treatments for hepatitis, HIV, and cancer.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

Back in the 2010s, for instance, executives at Gilead Sciences pondered how much to charge for Sovaldi, its miracle cure for hepatitis C.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Father Mulligan had died four years ago of viral hepatitis, in an ashram north of Rishikesh.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy