Word: Variola Minor
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Variola minor is a type of smallpox virus. It is a less severe form of smallpox compared to another type called variola major. The fatality rate for variola minor is about 1 percent, meaning that out of 100 people who get it, only about 1 may die from it.
Usage Instructions: - Variola minor is mostly used in medical or scientific contexts. It is important to use this term when discussing diseases, especially in relation to smallpox. - When talking about smallpox, you may mention variola minor to explain that there are different types of the virus, with variola minor being the milder one.
Example Sentence: - "During the smallpox outbreak, doctors noted that some patients had variola minor, which caused less severe symptoms than those with variola major."
Advanced Usage: - In discussions about public health, you might say, "The eradication of variola minor contributed significantly to the overall success in eliminating smallpox worldwide."
Word Variants: - Variola Major: The more severe form of the smallpox virus with a higher fatality rate. - Smallpox: A disease caused by the variola virus, which can be caused by either variola major or variola minor.
Different Meaning: - "Variola" itself refers to the genus of viruses that cause smallpox. Variola minor specifically refers to the less severe strain.
Synonyms: - There are no direct synonyms for "variola minor," but you might refer to it in a broader context as "a mild form of smallpox."
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: - There are no commonly used idioms or phrasal verbs specifically related to "variola minor," as it is a specialized medical term.
Note:Smallpox is a disease that has been eradicated since 1980 due to successful vaccination efforts, so you may not encounter "variola minor" often in everyday conversation today.