whirling disease
noun
whirl·ing disease
ˈ(h)wər-liŋ- 
: an infectious often fatal disease especially of young salmonid fishes (such as trout and salmon) that is caused by a protozoan (Myxobolus cerebralis synonym Myxosoma cerebralis) and is marked by skeletal deformities and a tendency to swim in circles
Examples of whirling disease in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the 1990s, a parasite, whirling disease, tore through fisheries across Colorado, nearly wiping out rainbow trout.
—
Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 22 July 2025
Virginia has euthanized 40,000 trout after recent testing detected whirling disease among catchable-sized fish, officials said.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
Rainbow trout once ruled the fishery but were wiped out by whirling disease in the 1990s.
—Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Sep. 2021
Yellow Creek, a river bisecting the property that was once one of the best trout fisheries in the state, has been infected by a pathogen that causes whirling disease, which is deadly to native trout.
—Spencer Silva, SFChronicle.com, 24 June 2019
At least two diseases made the list: white nose syndrome, which infects bats, and whirling disease, which attacks fish.
—Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2018
The organism then made the leap to both wild and farmed trout across the American west, causing what’s known as whirling disease.
—Jeff Wheelwright, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2012
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Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 22 July 2025
Virginia has euthanized 40,000 trout after recent testing detected whirling disease among catchable-sized fish, officials said.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
Rainbow trout once ruled the fishery but were wiped out by whirling disease in the 1990s.
—Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Sep. 2021
Yellow Creek, a river bisecting the property that was once one of the best trout fisheries in the state, has been infected by a pathogen that causes whirling disease, which is deadly to native trout.
—Spencer Silva, SFChronicle.com, 24 June 2019
At least two diseases made the list: white nose syndrome, which infects bats, and whirling disease, which attacks fish.
—Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2018
The organism then made the leap to both wild and farmed trout across the American west, causing what’s known as whirling disease.
—Jeff Wheelwright, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2012
Cite this Entry
“Whirling disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirling%20disease. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
whirling disease
noun
whirl·ing disease
ˈhwər(-ə)l-iŋ-
ˈwər(-ə)l-
ˈwər(-ə)l-
: an infectious often fatal disease of salmonid fish (as trout and salmon) that is caused by a protozoan (Myxobolus cerebralis synonym Myxosoma cerebralis) of the order Myxosporidia which attacks cartilage of the head and spinal cord especially of young fish and that causes the fish to swim in circles and is marked by skeletal deformities
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