variola major

Friendly

Word: Variola Major

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: Variola major is a type of smallpox virus. It is a very serious and contagious disease that can cause high fever, weakness, and a rash that develops into pustules (blisters filled with pus). These pustules eventually form scabs that can leave scars on the skin. This disease can be deadly, with a fatality rate (the chance of dying from the disease) of up to 25%.

Usage Instructions:

• Context: You would use "variola major" when discussing diseases, especially in medical or historical contexts.
• Example Sentence: "In the past, variola major caused widespread outbreaks and high mortality rates before the development of vaccines."

Advanced Usage:

• In scientific discussions or medical literature, "variola major" is often mentioned when talking about the eradication of smallpox or in studies related to viral infections.

Word Variants:

• Variola Minor: This is another type of smallpox virus that is less severe than variola major and has a lower fatality rate.

Different Meanings:

• In a more general sense, "variola" refers to the genus of viruses that includes both variola major and variola minor, but it is primarily used to describe smallpox.

Synonyms:

• Smallpox (though "smallpox" can refer to both variants, it is often used interchangeably with "variola major" when discussing severe cases).

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs related to "variola major," as it is a technical term used mainly in medical contexts.

Summary:

"Variola major" is a serious and highly contagious disease that has historically caused significant health problems.

Academic

Noun

1. a type of smallpox virus that has a fatality rate of up to 25 percent
2. a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars

Synonyms

• variola major virus
• smallpox
• variola