hepatitis non-a, non-b: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical / Historical Medical
Quick answer
What does “hepatitis non-a, non-b” mean?
A term historically used for hepatitis caused by a viral agent that is neither hepatitis A nor hepatitis B virus.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A term historically used for hepatitis caused by a viral agent that is neither hepatitis A nor hepatitis B virus.
A now outdated diagnostic term that referred to a type of viral hepatitis transmitted primarily through blood or blood products, before the discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and other specific hepatitis viruses. Most cases described as non-A, non-B hepatitis are now known to be hepatitis C.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage between BrE and AmE. It is a standardised international medical term.
Connotations
Historical, somewhat dated. In contemporary contexts, it implies the patient or case was described before the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Frequency
Extremely rare in current medical literature; found mainly in historical reviews or older textbooks. Frequency is identical in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “hepatitis non-a, non-b” in a Sentence
The patient was diagnosed with __.Research into the causes of __ led to the discovery of HCV.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hepatitis non-a, non-b” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The non-A, non-B hepatitis cases were re-examined.
- They studied the non-A, non-B hepatitis transmission route.
American English
- The non-A, non-B hepatitis cases were reexamined.
- They studied the non-A, non-B hepatitis transmission route.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used strictly in historical medical or virology papers discussing the period before the identification of HCV.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson would say 'hepatitis C' or just 'hepatitis'.
Technical
The primary domain. Used in medical records, virology, hepatology, and epidemiology when referring to pre-1990 diagnoses or studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hepatitis non-a, non-b”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hepatitis non-a, non-b”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hepatitis non-a, non-b”
- Using it in a contemporary medical report (should use 'hepatitis C', 'hepatitis E', etc.).
- Incorrect hyphenation: 'non A non B hepatitis'.
- Pronouncing 'non' as /nəʊn/ instead of /nɒn/ or /nɑːn/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It was a term used for infectious hepatitis that tests showed was not caused by the hepatitis A or B viruses. Most of these cases are now known to be hepatitis C.
No. With modern testing, a specific virus (like hepatitis C, D, or E) can almost always be identified, so this non-specific term is obsolete in clinical practice.
Hepatitis non-A, non-B was the descriptive name for the disease before the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was discovered in 1989. After discovery, cases caused by HCV were renamed hepatitis C.
It is important for reading and understanding older medical literature. It also illustrates how medical knowledge evolves from describing symptoms to identifying specific causes.
A term historically used for hepatitis caused by a viral agent that is neither hepatitis A nor hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis non-a, non-b is usually technical / historical medical in register.
Hepatitis non-a, non-b: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhep.əˌtaɪ.tɪs ˌnɒn eɪ ˌnɒn ˈbiː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhep.əˈtaɪ.t̬ɪs ˌnɑːn eɪ ˌnɑːn ˈbiː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of it as a medical 'mystery label' from the past: Hepatitis, but NOT A, NOT B. The alphabet starts with C next.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS AN UNIDENTIFIED ENTITY; MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE IS A COMPLETE LIST.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'hepatitis non-A, non-B' be MOST appropriate today?