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glanders

American  
[glan-derz] / ˈglæn dərz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)
  1. a contagious disease chiefly of horses and mules but communicable to humans, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas mallei and characterized by swellings beneath the jaw and a profuse mucous discharge from the nostrils.


glanders British  
/ ˈɡlændəz /

noun

  1. (functioning as singular) a highly infectious bacterial disease of horses, sometimes transmitted to man, caused by Actinobacillus mallei and characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes of the air passages, skin, and lymph glands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of glanders

1475–85; < Middle French glandres swollen glands < Latin glandulae swollen glands, literally, little acorns. See gland 1, -ule


Explanation

Glanders is a dangerous disease that affects horses, causing unpleasant symptoms like fever and skin sores. This awful disease can even spread to humans if left untreated! Glanders is a serious infectious disease caused by bacteria. This disease mostly affects horses, donkeys, and mules. In the past, glanders was a big problem, especially for horses used in the military. Although it's rare today, glanders can still spread to humans who come into contact with infected animals. Quick treatment is essential to stop this dangerous disease from spreading, making good veterinary care very important.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Lax sanitary controls between state borders allowed glanders to spread across Brazil, which has the third-largest equine population in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2016

“They killed a lot of horses without truly knowing whether they had glanders or not,” Sophia Baptista de Oliveira, a horse breeder, said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2016

Coming into contact with glanders could prove fatal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2016

“I think the unknown threat of a mutant microbe is infinitely greater than someone coming and dropping a glanders on us!” he said.

From New York Times ● Oct. 26, 2011

This will go on for months, or even for years, and recoveries occasionally take place, while in other cases, and especially when the conditions of life are bad, acute glanders supervene.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

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