Variola Major (Noun)
Meaning 1
A highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The variola major virus causes smallpox, one of the deadliest diseases in human history, with mortality rates as high as 40% in some cases.
- Before the widespread use of vaccination, variola major was a leading cause of blindness, disfigurement, and premature death, with an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 cases per year.
- The eradication of variola major through a global vaccination program was declared in 1980, marking the first time a human disease had been completely eliminated.
- Studies on the variola major virus have revealed the genetic factors contributing to its high virulence and ability to spread rapidly from person to person.
- Researchers continue to investigate the history and evolution of variola major, shedding light on its origins and development as one of the most devastating pathogens in human history.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
A type of smallpox virus that has a fatality rate of up to 25 percent.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.