poliovirus

American  

[poh-lee-oh-vahy-ruhs, poh-lee-oh-vahy-] / ˈpoʊ li oʊˌvaɪ rəs, ˌpoʊ li oʊˈvaɪ- /

noun

plural

polioviruses

1. any of three picornaviruses of the genus Enterovirus, having a spherical capsid, infectious to humans and the cause of poliomyelitis.

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Etymology

Origin of poliovirus

First recorded in 1950–55; polio + virus

Example Sentences

The disease is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads through contact with an infected person's faeces or droplets when they cough and sneeze.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

Perhaps Israel had no choice; the reality of a variant type 2 poliovirus outbreak in Gaza had the whole region bracing for a public health crisis.

From Salon • Aug. 30, 2024

But wastewater surveillance — the testing of sewage for signs of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, poliovirus and mpox virus — has yet to be employed in the tracking of H5N1 bird flu virus.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2024

There are two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where wild poliovirus still circulates.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023

Second, cells often behave differently, even if they’re all from the same sample, which means some grow faster than others, some produce more poliovirus, and some are resistant to certain antibiotics.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot