graft-versus-host disease

American  

[graft-vur-suhs-hohst, grahft-] / ˈgræftˌvɜr səsˈhoʊst, ˈgrɑft- /

noun

1. a reaction in which the cells of transplanted tissue immunologically attack the cells of the host organism, occurring especially in bone-marrow transplants.

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Etymology

Origin of graft-versus-host disease

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Similar effects were observed in models of graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication that can occur after bone marrow transplantation.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

I also experienced the risky complication known as graft-versus-host disease, in which donor immune cells, even when they are a lifesaving match, attack the recipient’s body—sometimes fatally.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

But finding a matching cell donor can be difficult, and a transplant can lead to graft-versus-host disease, a potentially deadly condition in which donor cells attack a patient’s cells.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 11, 2021

Donor stem cells can go on the attack post-transplant, a condition known as graft-versus-host disease.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 10, 2018

They use natural killer cells because T cells from one person cannot be safely given to another, lest they attack the host’s tissue, causing graft-versus-host disease, which can be fatal.

From New York Times • Jul. 23, 2017