equine encephalitis

noun

variants: or less commonly equine encephalomyelitis

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Definition of equine encephalitis

: any of three virus diseases chiefly of equines and humans in various parts of North and South America that are transmitted especially by mosquitoes, are characterized in humans by flu-like symptoms which often progress to encephalitis and sometimes to coma and death, and are caused by three togaviruses (species Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, and Western equine encephalitis virus of the genus Alphavirus)

Recent Examples of equine encephalitis from the Web

Although no human cases have been reported, several horses and emus have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis virus, which is spread through mosquito bites.

— stephen hudak, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Health officials wary of mosquitoes — and rising risk of Zika and other illnesses — after heavy rains," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'equine encephalitis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of equine encephalitis

1946

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

equine encephalitis

noun

medical Definition of equine encephalitis

: any of three virus diseases chiefly of equines and humans in various parts of North and South America that are transmitted esp. by mosquitoes, are characterized in humans by flulike symptoms which often progress to encephalitis and sometimes to coma and death, and are caused by three togaviruses of the genus Alphavirus (species Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus):

a : one that occurs in the eastern U.S. and Canada — called also eastern equine encephalitis, eastern equine encephalomyelitis

b : one that occurs in the western U.S. and Canada — called also western equine encephalitis, western equine encephalomyelitis

c : one that occurs from northern So. America to Mexico — called also Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis