plague

plague
n.
1) any epidemic disease with a high death rate.
2) an acute epidemic disease of rats and other wild rodents caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is transmitted to humans by rat fleas. Bubonic plague, the most common form of the disease, has an incubation period of 2–6 days. Headache, fever, weakness, aching limbs, and delirium develop and are followed by acute painful swellings of the lymph nodes (see bubo). In favourable cases the buboes burst after about a week, releasing pus, and then heal. In other cases bleeding under the skin, producing black patches, can lead to ulcers, which may prove fatal (hence the former name Black Death). In the most serious cases bacteria enter the bloodstream (septicaemic plague) or lungs (pneumonic plague); if untreated, these are nearly always fatal. Treatment with tetracycline, streptomycin, and chloramphenicol is effective; vaccination against the disease provides only partial protection.

The new mediacal dictionary. 2014.

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  • Plague — may refer to:In medicine: * Plague (disease), a specific disease caused by Yersinia pestis . There are three major manifestations ** Bubonic plague ** Septicemic plague ** Pneumonic plague * Any bubo causing disease * A pandemic caused by such a… …   Wikipedia

  • Plague — Plague, n. [L. plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to Gr. ?, fr. ? to strike; cf. L. plangere to strike, beat. Cf. {Plaint}.] 1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plague — [plāg] n. [ME plage < MFr < L plaga, a blow, misfortune, in LL(Ec), plague < Gr plēgē, plaga < IE * plaga, a blow < base * plag , to strike > FLAW2] 1. anything that afflicts or troubles; calamity; scourge 2. any contagious… …   English World dictionary

  • Plague — Plague, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plagued}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plaguing}.] 1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. [1913 Webster] Thus were they plagued And worn with famine. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Fig.: To vex;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plague — plague; plague·some; pseu·do·plague; …   English syllables

  • plague — [n1] disease that is widespread affliction, contagion, curse, epidemic, hydra, infection, infestation, influenza, invasion, outbreak, pandemic, pestilence, rash, ravage, scourge; concept 306 plague [n2] annoyance, curse affliction, aggravation,… …   New thesaurus

  • plague — I verb afflict, aggravate, aggrieve, annoy, badger, bait, bedevil, beset, bother, browbeat, bullyrag, cross, devil, discommode, discompose, displease, disquiet, distress, disturb, exagitare, exasperate, exercere, fret, gall, gibe, grate, harry,… …   Law dictionary

  • plague — vb pester, tease, tantalize, harry, harass, *worry, annoy Analogous words: gall, fret, chafe (see ABRADE): *bait, badger, hector, hound, ride: torment, *afflict, try Contrasted words: *relieve, mitigate, lighten, assuage, alleviate …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • plague — ► NOUN 1) a contagious disease spread by bacteria and characterized by fever and delirium. 2) an unusually and unpleasantly large quantity of insects or animals. ► VERB (plagues, plagued, plaguing) 1) cause continual trouble or distress to. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • plague — plaguer, n. /playg/, n., v., plagued, plaguing. n. 1. an epidemic disease that causes high mortality; pestilence. 2. an infectious, epidemic disease caused by a bacterium, Yersinia pestis, characterized by fever, chills, and prostration,… …   Universalium

  • Plague — The plague is an infectious disease due to a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis mainly infects rats and other rodents. Rodents are the prime reservoir for the bacteria. Fleas function as the prime vectors carrying the bacteria from one… …   Medical dictionary

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