rabbit-fever
Definition
Noun (uncountable): - An infectious disease: "rabbit-fever" is a bacterial disease primarily affecting rodents (especially rabbits and hares) and humans, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It is characterized by fever, swollen lymph nodes, and skin ulcers, and is transmitted through contact with infected animals or insect bites.
Usage Examples
- (The disease is transmitted through direct contact.)
- (Transmission can occur via insect vectors.)
- (Common clinical signs.)
Advanced Usage
"to have rabbit-fever": to be infected with this specific disease.
- He was hospitalized after developing rabbit-fever from cleaning a rabbit hutch. (The infection occurred due to exposure to contaminated material.)
"rabbit-fever outbreak": a sudden increase in cases within a population.
- Public health officials issued warnings after a rabbit-fever outbreak was detected in the region. (An unusual cluster of infections.)
Variants and Related Words
Rabbit fever (alternative spelling): the same disease, often written as two words.
- Rabbit fever is also known as tularemia in medical literature. (Synonymous term.)
Tularemia (n): the medical term for rabbit-fever.
- Tularemia is a zoonotic disease that can be treated with antibiotics. (Scientific name.)
Synonyms
- Tularemia: the formal medical name for the same illness.
- Deer fly fever: a colloquial synonym referring to transmission by deer flies.
- Francis disease: named after the scientist who studied the bacterium.
Related Idioms
- "catch rabbit-fever": to become infected with the disease.
- Hunters should wear gloves to avoid catching rabbit-fever. (Preventive measure.)
- "rabbit-fever scare": a situation where people fear an outbreak.
- The news report caused a rabbit-fever scare in the farming community. (Public anxiety about potential infection.)