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infectious disease

American  
[in-fek-shuhs di-zeez] / ɪnˈfɛk ʃəs dɪˈziz /

noun

  1. a disease caused by a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism, and often spreading by contact between individuals or by a vector such as an insect: ID

    Chicken pox and cholera are infectious diseases.


infectious disease Scientific  
  1. A disease caused by a microorganism or other agent, such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus, that enters the body of an organism.


Etymology

Origin of infectious disease

First recorded in 1570–80

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.

Leprosy, he told them, is one of the least contagious of all infectious diseases; he’d never caught it himself.

From The Wall Street Journal

A drop in NK cells can weaken immune performance, raising the likelihood of various health issues, including infectious diseases, cancers, and mental health conditions such as depression.

From Science Daily

According to the authors, 44 countries have seen tenfold increases in at least 13 infectious diseases compared with levels observed before the pandemic.

From Science Daily

For many years, Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, Davis, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been the “voice of reason for vaccine information.”

From Salon

The project brought together faculty in engineering and infectious disease at Northwestern.

From Science Daily