noun
typhus
TYE-fus/ˈtaɪfəs/
A serious infectious disease spread by lice, fleas, or mites.
Doctors treat typhus with antibiotics to prevent serious complications.
Etymology
Greek typhos meant “smoke” and also the stupor caused by fever. The disease name draws on that smoky mental state, reflecting the delirium that can accompany the infection.
In context
Typhus tore through the fleet. It's what happens when large fleets and large crews of men get together with inadequate sanitation and hygiene and poor food and water
More examples
- Infected fleas can spread typhus from animals to people.
- Crowded conditions can increase the risk of louse-borne typhus.
- Her fever and rash prompt the doctor to test for typhus.
Forms
typhus