Definition

Noun: 1. An acute, fatal viral disease affecting the central nervous system of mammals: "Lyssa" is a technical and chiefly historical term for the disease commonly known as rabies. It is caused by a virus typically transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, most often via a bite.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The veterinarian confirmed that the strange behavior of the dog was due to lyssa.
  • Before modern vaccines, a diagnosis of lyssa was invariably fatal.
  • The word "lyssa" is derived from the Greek word for "madness" or "rage," reflecting the disease's symptoms.

Advanced Usage

• In scientific/medical contexts: The term is often seen in historical texts or in the names of the virus species (e.g., , the genus that includes the rabies virus).
  • Research into the Lyssavirus genus has helped in understanding the transmission of rabies.

Variants and Related Words

• Rabies (n): The common, contemporary term for the disease.
• Hydrophobia (n): An older clinical name for rabies, referring to the symptom of difficulty swallowing and fear of water.
• Lyssavirus (n): The genus of viruses to which the rabies virus belongs.

Synonyms

• Rabies
• Hydrophobia (archaic)

Notes on Meaning

• "Lyssa" vs. "Rabies": While synonymous, "lyssa" is an archaic or highly technical term. In modern English, "rabies" is the standard and universally understood word for this disease. "Lyssa" is rarely used outside of specific historical or taxonomic contexts.

Noun

1. an acute viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals (usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal); rabies is fatal if the virus reaches the brain