poliomyelitis
/'poulioumaiə'laitis/
Definition
- Noun:
- An acute viral disease: A serious infectious illness caused by a virus, characterized by its sudden onset and severe nature.
- Marked by inflammation of nerve cells: The defining characteristic is the swelling and damage to specific nerve cells (neurons).
- Of the brain stem and spinal cord: The inflammation primarily affects the motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord and the brainstem, which can lead to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The development of a vaccine dramatically reduced the incidence of poliomyelitis.
- Before widespread immunization, poliomyelitis was a greatly feared disease that could cause permanent disability.
- Symptoms of poliomyelitis can range from a mild flu-like illness to severe paralysis.
Advanced Usage
- "Bulbar poliomyelitis": A severe form of the disease where the brainstem is affected, potentially impairing breathing, swallowing, and speech.
- Bulbar poliomyelitis requires immediate medical intervention due to the risk of respiratory failure.
- "Post-polio syndrome": A condition that can affect survivors decades after the initial acute poliomyelitis infection, characterized by new muscle weakness and fatigue.
- Many individuals who recovered from poliomyelitis in their youth now manage the effects of post-polio syndrome.
Variants and Related Words
- Polio (n): The common, abbreviated name for poliomyelitis.
- The polio vaccine is part of routine childhood immunizations.
- Poliovirus (n): The specific virus that causes poliomyelitis.
- There are three serotypes of poliovirus.
Synonyms
- Infantile paralysis: An older term for poliomyelitis, referencing its historical prevalence in children and its paralytic effects.
- Polio: The standard shortened synonym.
Related Phrases
- To contract poliomyelitis: To become infected with the disease.
- In the 1950s, many children contracted poliomyelitis each summer.
- To eradicate poliomyelitis: To completely eliminate the disease from a region or the world through public health efforts.
- Global health organizations are working to eradicate poliomyelitis.
Noun
-
an acute viral disease marked by inflammation of nerve cells of the brain stem and spinal cord
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