sandfly fever

noun

: a virus disease of brief duration that is characterized by fever, headache, eye pain, malaise, and leukopenia and that is caused by either of two bunyaviruses (species Naples phlebovirus and Sicilian phlebovirus of the genus Phlebovirus) transmitted by the bite of a sand fly (especially Phlebotomus papatasii)

called also phlebotomus fever

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The common quail was suspected as an unknown reservoir of Toscana virus and sandfly fever Sicilian virus. —

Lisa Wells, Harper’s Magazine , 13 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandfly fever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sandfly fever was in 1910

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sandfly fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandfly%20fever. Accessed 9 Jun. 2023.

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Medical Definition

sandfly fever

noun

sand·fly fever ˌsan(d)-ˌflī-

: a virus disease of brief duration that is characterized by fever, headache, pain in the eyes, malaise, and leukopenia and is caused by a bunyavirus of the genus Phlebovirus (especially species Naples phlebovirus and species Sicilian phlebovirus) transmitted by the bite of a sand fly of the genus Phlebotomus (especially P. papatasii)

called also pappataci fever, phlebotomus fever