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

Whitecloud suffers from severe health issues, including stage 5 lung cancer in remission, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hepatitis C, high blood pressure, arthritis and scoliosis. —Raquel Coronell Uribe, NBC News, 23 June 2024

The protocols were more rigid than clinical guidelines at least half the time for patients with hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and psoriatic arthritis. —Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 21 June 2024

The rates are a bit better for hepatitis C, with less success in sub-Saharan African countries. —Danjuma Adda, STAT, 16 June 2024

Linde said harm reduction is better understood in relation to intravenous drug use that can lead to communicable diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis C and other infections. —Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 4 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hepatitis C

noun

-ˈsē 

: 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.