disease

/dəˈziz/

/dɪˈziz/

Other forms: diseases

A disease is a health condition that has a specific set of symptoms and traits — such as malaria or heart disease.

Disease is not always about the human body being sick. Plants and animals are often the victims of disease. People also use the word disease in a more figurative sense to illustrate just how bad or damaging a negative influence can be — like the disease of greed among capitalists or the disease of plagiarism among college students.

Definitions of disease

1. noun

   an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
   types:

   disease of the neuromuscular junction

   a disease characterized by impairment of neuromuscular junctions

   aspergillosis

   disease especially in agricultural workers caused by inhalation of Aspergillus spores causing lumps in skin and ears and respiratory organs

   anthrax

   a disease of humans that is not communicable; caused by infection with Bacillus anthracis followed by septicemia

   blackwater

   any of several human or animal diseases characterized by dark urine resulting from rapid breakdown of red blood cells

   cat scratch disease

   a disease thought to be transmitted to humans by a scratch from a cat

   complication

   any disease or disorder that occurs during the course of (or because of) another disease

   crud

   an ill-defined bodily ailment

   endemic, endemic disease

   a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location

   enteropathy

   a disease of the intestinal tract

   incompetence

   inability of a part or organ to function properly

   Kawasaki disease, mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome

   an acute disease of young children characterized by a rash and swollen lymph nodes and fever; of unknown cause

   pycnosis, pyknosis

   a degenerative state of the cell nucleus

   Indian tick fever, Kenya fever, Marseilles fever, boutonneuse fever

   a disease (common in India and around the Mediterranean area) caused by a rickettsia that is transmitted to humans by a reddish brown tick (ixodid) that lives on dogs and other mammals

   Meniere's disease

   a disease of the inner ear characterized by episodes of dizziness and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss (usually unilateral)

   milk sickness

   caused by consuming milk from cattle suffering from trembles

   mimesis

   any disease that shows symptoms characteristic of another disease

   industrial disease, occupational disease

   disease or disability resulting from conditions of employment (usually from long exposure to a noxious substance or from continuous repetition of certain acts)

   onychosis

   any disease or disorder of the nails

   rheumatism

   any painful disorder of the joints or muscles or connective tissues

   periarteritis nodosa, polyarteritis nodosa

   a progressive disease of connective tissue that is characterized by nodules along arteries; nodules may block the artery and result in inadequate circulation to the particular area

   periodontal disease, periodontitis

   a disease that attacks the gum and bone and around the teeth

   liver disease

   a disease affecting the liver

   communicable disease

   a disease that can be communicated from one person to another

   exanthema subitum, pseudorubella, roseola infantilis, roseola infantum

   a viral disease of infants and young children; characterized by abrupt high fever and mild sore throat; a few days later there is a faint pinkish rash that lasts for a few hours to a few days

   respiratory disease, respiratory disorder, respiratory illness

   a disease affecting the respiratory system

   congenital disease, genetic abnormality, genetic defect, genetic disease, genetic disorder, hereditary condition, hereditary disease, inherited disease, inherited disorder

   a disease or disorder that is inherited genetically

   inflammatory disease

   a disease characterized by inflammation

   autoimmune disease, autoimmune disorder

   any of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissues

   deficiency disease

   any disease caused by a lack of an essential nutrient (as a vitamin or mineral)

   cystic breast disease, cystic mastitis, fibrocystic breast disease, fibrocystic disease of the breast

   the presence of one or more cysts in a breast

   goiter, goitre, struma, thyromegaly

   abnormally enlarged thyroid gland; can result from underproduction or overproduction of hormone or from a deficiency of iodine in the diet

   pappataci fever, phlebotomus, sandfly fever

   a mild viral disease transmitted by the bite of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasii

   disease of the skin, skin disease, skin disorder

   a disease affecting the skin

   malignance, malignancy

   (medicine) a malignant state; progressive and resistant to treatment and tending to cause death

   eye disease

   any disease of the eye

   animal disease

   a disease that typically does not affect human beings

   plant disease

   a disease that affects plants

   ozaena, ozena

   a chronic disease of the nose characterized by a foul-smelling nasal discharge and atrophy of nasal structures

   filariasis

   a disease caused by nematodes in the blood or tissues of the body causing blockage of lymphatic vessels

   warble

   a lumpy abscess under the hide of domestic mammals caused by larvae of a botfly or warble fly

   ARDS, adult respiratory distress syndrome, wet lung, white lung

   acute lung injury characterized by coughing and rales; inflammation of the lungs which become stiff and fibrous and cannot exchange oxygen; occurs among persons exposed to irritants such as corrosive chemical vapors or ammonia or chlorine etc.

   cutaneous anthrax, malignant pustule

   a form of anthrax infection that begins as papule that becomes a vesicle and breaks with a discharge of toxins; symptoms of septicemia are severe with vomiting and high fever and profuse sweating; the infection is often fatal

   anthrax pneumonia, inhalation anthrax, pulmonary anthrax, ragpicker's disease, ragsorter's disease, woolsorter's disease, woolsorter's pneumonia

   a form of anthrax infection acquired by inhalation of dust containing Bacillus anthracis; initial symptoms (chill and cough and dyspnea and rapid pulse) are followed by extreme cardiovascular collapse

   monogenic disease, monogenic disorder

   an inherited disease controlled by a single pair of genes

   polygenic disease, polygenic disorder

   an inherited disease controlled by several genes at once

   hypogonadism

   incompetence of the gonads (especially in the male with low testosterone); results in deficient development of secondary sex characteristics and (in prepubertal males) a body with long legs and a short trunk

   valvular incompetence

   inability of a bodily valve to close completely

   myasthenia, myasthenia gravis

   a chronic progressive disease characterized by chronic fatigue and muscular weakness (especially in the face and neck); caused by a deficiency of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junctions

   Eaton-Lambert syndrome, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, carcinomatous myopathy, myasthenic syndrome

   a disease seen in patients with lung cancer and characterized by weakness and fatigue of hip and thigh muscles and an aching back; caused by antibodies directed against the neuromuscular junctions

   onycholysis

   separation of a nail from its normal attachment to the nail bed

   Riggs' disease, pyorrhea, pyorrhea alveolaris, pyorrhoea

   chronic periodontitis; purulent inflammation of the teeth sockets

   alveolar resorption

   wasting of the bony socket

   gingivitis

   inflammation of the gums

   ulatrophia

   recession of the gums

   MS, disseminated multiple sclerosis, disseminated sclerosis, multiple sclerosis

   a chronic progressive nervous disorder involving loss of myelin sheath around certain nerve fibers

   cirrhosis, cirrhosis of the liver

   a chronic disease interfering with the normal functioning of the liver; the major cause is chronic alcoholism

   fatty liver

   yellow discoloration as a result of the accumulation of certain fats (triglycerides) in the liver; can be caused by alcoholic cirrhosis or pregnancy or exposure to certain toxins

   IDDM, autoimmune diabetes, growth-onset diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, juvenile diabetes, juvenile-onset diabetes, ketoacidosis-prone diabetes, ketosis-prone diabetes, type I diabetes

   severe diabetes mellitus with an early onset; characterized by polyuria and excessive thirst and increased appetite and weight loss and episodic ketoacidosis; diet and insulin injections are required to control the disease

   Graves' disease, exophthalmic goiter

   exophthalmos occurring in association with goiter; hyperthyroidism with protrusion of the eyeballs

   achondroplasia, achondroplasty, chondrodystrophy, osteosclerosis congenita

   an inherited skeletal disorder beginning before birth; cartilage is converted to bone resulting in dwarfism

   contagion, contagious disease

   any disease easily transmitted by contact

   flu, grippe, influenza

   an acute febrile highly contagious viral disease

   infectious disease

   a disease transmitted only by a specific kind of contact

   hepatitis

   inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or a toxin

   cancer of the liver, liver cancer

   malignant neoplastic disease of the liver usually occurring as a metastasis from another cancer; symptoms include loss of appetite and weakness and bloating and jaundice and upper abdominal discomfort

   NEC, necrotizing enterocolitis

   an acute inflammatory disease occurring in the intestines of premature infants; necrosis of intestinal tissue may follow

   pertussis, whooping cough

   a disease of the respiratory mucous membrane

   cold, common cold

   a mild viral infection involving the nose and respiratory passages (but not the lungs)

   asthma, asthma attack, bronchial asthma

   respiratory disorder characterized by wheezing; usually of allergic origin

   bronchitis

   inflammation of the membranes lining the bronchial tubes

   emphysema, pulmonary emphysema

   an abnormal condition of the lungs marked by decreased respiratory function; associated with smoking or chronic bronchitis or old age

   pneumonia

   respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the lung parenchyma (excluding the bronchi) with congestion caused by viruses or bacteria or irritants

   atypical pneumonia, mycoplasmal pneumonia, primary atypical pneumonia

   an acute respiratory disease marked by high fever and coughing; caused by mycoplasma; primarily affecting children and young adults

   interstitial pneumonia

   chronic lung disease affecting the interstitial tissue of the lungs

   pneumoconiosis, pneumonoconiosis

   chronic respiratory disease caused by inhaling metallic or mineral particles

   hyaline membrane disease, respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn

   an acute lung disease of the newborn (especially the premature newborn); lungs cannot expand because of a wetting agent is lacking; characterized by rapid shallow breathing and cyanosis and the formation of a glassy hyaline membrane over the alveoli

   abetalipoproteinemia

   a rare inherited disorder of fat metabolism; characterized by severe deficiency of beta-lipoproteins and abnormal red blood cells (acanthocytes) and abnormally low cholesterol levels

   inborn error of metabolism

   any of a number of diseases in which an inherited defect (usually a missing or inadequate enzyme) results in an abnormality of metabolism

   Hirschsprung's disease, congenital megacolon

   congenital condition in which the colon does not have the normal network of nerves; there is little urge to defecate so the feces accumulate and cause megacolon

   mucopolysaccharidosis

   any of a group of genetic disorders involving a defect in the metabolism of mucopolysaccharides resulting in greater than normal levels of mucopolysaccharides in tissues

   hyperbetalipoproteinemia

   a genetic disorder characterized by high levels of beta-lipoproteins and cholesterol; can lead to atherosclerosis at an early age

   ichthyosis

   any of several congenital diseases in which the skin is dry and scaly like a fish

   branched chain ketoaciduria, maple syrup urine disease

   an inherited disorder of metabolism in which the urine has a odor characteristic of maple syrup; if untreated it can lead to mental retardation and death in early childhood

   McArdle's disease

   an inherited disease in which abnormal amounts of glycogen accumulate in skeletal muscle; results in weakness and cramping

   dystrophy, muscular dystrophy

   any of several hereditary diseases of the muscular system characterized by weakness and wasting of skeletal muscles

   oligodactyly

   congenital condition in which some fingers or toes are missing

   oligodontia

   congenital condition in which some of the teeth are missing

   otosclerosis

   hereditary disorder in which ossification of the labyrinth of the inner ear causes tinnitus and eventual deafness

   autosomal dominant disease, autosomal dominant disorder

   a disease caused by a dominant mutant gene on an autosome

   autosomal recessive defect, autosomal recessive disease

   a disease caused by the presence of two recessive mutant genes on an autosome

   Fanconi's anaemia, Fanconi's anemia, congenital pancytopenia

   a rare congenital anemia characterized by pancytopenia and hypoplasia of the bone marrow

   Spielmeyer-Vogt disease, juvenile amaurotic idiocy

   a congenital progressive disorder of lipid metabolism having an onset at age 5 and characterized by blindness and dementia and early death

   congenital afibrinogenemia

   a rare congenital disorder of blood coagulation in which no fibrinogen is found in the blood plasma

   gastroenteritis, intestinal flu, stomach flu

   inflammation of the stomach and intestines; can be caused by Salmonella enteritidis

   PID, pelvic inflammatory disease

   inflammation of the female pelvic organs (especially the Fallopian tubes) caused by infection by any of several microorganisms (chiefly gonococci and chlamydia); symptoms are abdominal pain and fever and foul-smelling vaginal discharge

   empyema

   a collection of pus in a body cavity (especially in the lung cavity)

   pleurisy

   inflammation of the pleura of the lungs (especially the parietal layer)

   pyelitis

   inflammation of the renal pelvis

   pharyngitis, raw throat, sore throat

   inflammation of the fauces and pharynx

   angina

   any disease of the throat or fauces marked by spasmodic attacks of intense suffocative pain

   SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome

   a respiratory disease of unknown etiology that apparently originated in mainland China in 2003; characterized by fever and coughing or difficulty breathing or hypoxia; can be fatal

   arthritis

   inflammation of a joint or joints

   atrophic arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis

   a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components of the joint

   malnutrition

   a state of poor nutrition; can result from insufficient or excessive or unbalanced diet or from inability to absorb foods

   zinc deficiency

   a deficiency caused by inadequate zinc in the diet or by liver disease or cystic fibrosis or other diseases

   Albers-Schonberg disease, marble bones disease, osteopetrosis

   an inherited disorder characterized by an increase in bone density; in severe forms the bone marrow cavity may be obliterated

   blight

   any plant disease resulting in withering without rotting

   leaf disease

   any plant disease localized in the foliage

   Marie-Strumpell disease, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid spondylitis

   a chronic form of spondylitis primarily in males and marked by impaired mobility of the spine; sometimes leads to ankylosis

   DLE, discoid lupus erythematosus

   a chronic skin disease occurring primarily in women between the ages of 20 and 40; characterized by an eruption of red lesions over the cheeks and bridge of the nose

   Hashimoto's disease

   autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland; most common in middle-aged women

   LE, lupus erythematosus

   a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

   acantholysis

   a breakdown of a cell layer in the epidermis (as in pemphigus)

   acanthosis

   an abnormal but benign thickening of the prickle-cell layer of the skin (as in psoriasis)

   acanthosis nigricans, keratosis nigricans

   a skin disease characterized by dark wartlike patches in the body folds; can be benign or malignant

   acne

   an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands of the skin; characterized by papules or pustules or comedones

   dermatosis

   disorder involving lesions or eruptions of the skin (in which there is usually no inflammation)

   eczema

   generic term for inflammatory conditions of the skin; particularly with vesiculation in the acute stages

   erythroderma

   any skin disorder involving abnormal redness

   furunculosis

   acute skin disease characterized by the presence of many furuncles

   impetigo

   a very contagious infection of the skin; common in children; localized redness develops into small blisters that gradually crust and erode

   jungle rot

   skin disorder induced by a tropical climate

   keratoderma, keratodermia

   any skin disorder consisting of a growth that appears horny

   keratonosis

   any abnormal condition of the outer skin (epidermis)

   keratosis

   a skin condition marked by an overgrowth of layers of horny skin

   leukoderma

   a congenital skin condition characterized by spots or bands of unpigmented skin

   lichen

   any of several eruptive skin diseases characterized by hard thick lesions grouped together and resembling lichens growing on rocks

   livedo

   skin disorder characterized by patchy bluish discolorations on the skin

   lupus

   any of several forms of ulcerative skin disease

   melanism, melanosis

   a condition characterized by abnormal deposits of melanin (especially in the skin)

   molluscum

   any skin disease characterized by soft pulpy nodules

   necrobiosis lipoidica, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum

   skin disease marked by thin shiny patches (especially on the legs); often associated with diabetes mellitus

   pemphigus

   a skin disease characterized by large thin-walled blisters (bullae) arising from normal skin or mucous membrane

   prurigo

   chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by blister capped papules and intense itching

   psoriasis

   a chronic skin disease characterized by dry red patches covered with scales; occurs especially on the scalp and ears and genitalia and the skin over bony prominences

   rhagades

   cracks or fissures in the skin (especially around the mouth or anus)

   Saint Anthony's fire

   any of several inflammatory or gangrenous skin conditions

   seborrhea

   a condition in which overactivity of the sebaceous glands causes the skin to become oily

   vitiligo

   an acquired skin disease characterized by patches of unpigmented skin (often surrounded by a heavily pigmented border)

   xanthoma

   a skin problem marked by the development (on the eyelids and neck and back) of irregular yellow nodules; sometimes attributable to disturbances of cholesterol metabolism

   xanthosis

   an abnormal yellow discoloration of the skin

   malignant neoplasm, malignant tumor, metastatic tumor

   a tumor that is malignant and tends to spread to other parts of the body

   cataract

   an eye disease that involves the clouding or opacification of the natural lens of the eye

   macular edema

   an eye disease caused by a swelling of the macula resulting from leakage and accumulation of fluid

   cystoid macular edema

   a specific pattern of swelling in the central retina

   drusen

   (plural) an eye disease resulting from small accumulations of hyaline bodies underneath the retina

   glaucoma

   an eye disease that damages the optic nerve and impairs vision (sometimes progressing to blindness)

   keratonosus

   any disease of the cornea

   macular degeneration

   eye disease caused by degeneration of the cells of the macula lutea and results in blurred vision; can cause blindness

   retinopathy

   a disease of the retina that can result in loss of vision

   trachoma

   a chronic contagious viral disease marked by inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye and the formation of scar tissue

   leucoma, leukoma

   eye disease consisting of an opaque white spot on the cornea

   anaplasmosis

   a disease of cattle that is transmitted by cattle ticks; similar to Texas fever

   aspergillosis, brooder pneumonia

   severe respiratory disease of birds that takes the form of an acute rapidly fatal pneumonia in young chickens and turkeys

   bighead

   any of various diseases of animals characterized by edema of the head and neck

   BSE, bovine spongiform encephalitis, mad cow disease

   a fatal disease of cattle that affects the central nervous system; causes staggering and agitation

   bull nose

   a disease of pigs resulting in swelling of the snout

   camelpox

   a viral disease of camels closely related to smallpox

   canine chorea, chorea

   chorea in dogs

   catarrhal fever

   any of several disease of livestock marked by fever and edema of the respiratory tract

   chronic wasting disease

   a wildlife disease (akin to bovine spongiform encephalitis) that affects deer and elk

   costiasis

   a fatal disease of freshwater fish caused by a flagellated protozoan invading the skin

   cowpox, vaccinia

   a viral disease of cattle causing a mild skin disease affecting the udder; formerly used to inoculate humans against smallpox

   creeps

   a disease of cattle and sheep attributed to a dietary deficiency; characterized by anemia and softening of the bones and a slow stiff gait

   hemorrhagic septicemia, pasteurellosis

   an acute infectious disease characterized by pneumonia and blood infection

   fistula, fistulous withers

   a chronic inflammation of the withers of a horse

   fowl cholera

   an acute diarrheal disease (especially of chickens) caused by the microorganism that causes hemorrhagic septicemia

   fowl pest

   either of two acute viral diseases of domestic fowl; characterized by refusal to eat and high temperature and discoloration of the comb

   hog cholera

   highly infectious virus disease of swine

   distemper

   any of various infectious viral diseases of animals

   enterotoxemia

   a disease of cattle and sheep that is attributed to toxins absorbed from the intestines

   foot-and-mouth disease, hoof-and-mouth disease

   acute contagious disease of cloven-footed animals marked by ulcers in the mouth and around the hoofs

   foot rot

   contagious degenerative infection of the feet of hoofed animals (especially cattle and sheep)

   black disease, distomatosis, liver rot, sheep rot

   a disease of the liver (especially in sheep and cattle) caused by liver flukes and their by-products

   broken wind, heaves

   a chronic emphysema of the horse that causes difficult expiration and heaving of the flanks

   red water

   a disease of cattle; characterized by hematuria

   rhinotracheitis

   a respiratory infection of the nose and throat in cattle

   cattle plague, rinderpest

   an acute infectious viral disease of cattle (usually fatal); characterized by fever and diarrhea and inflammation of mucous membranes

   scours

   diarrhea in livestock

   scrapie

   a fatal disease of sheep characterized by chronic itching and loss of muscular control and progressive degeneration of the central nervous system

   shipping fever, shipping pneumonia

   a deadly form of septicemia in cattle and sheep; involves high fever and pneumonia; contracted under conditions of exposure or exhaustion (as often happens when the animals are shipped to market)

   spavin

   a swelling of the hock joint of a horse; resulting in lameness

   loco disease, locoism

   a disease of livestock caused by locoweed poisoning; characterized by weakness and lack of coordination and trembling and partial paralysis

   looping ill

   an acute viral disease of the nervous system in sheep; can be transmitted by Ixodes ricinus

   mange

   a persistent and contagious disease of the skin causing inflammation and itching and loss of hair; affects domestic animals (and sometimes people)

   moon blindness, mooneye

   recurrent eye inflammation in horses; sometimes resulting in blindness

   murrain

   any disease of domestic animals that resembles a plague

   myxomatosis

   a viral disease (usually fatal) of rabbits

   Newcastle disease

   disease of domestic fowl and other birds

   pip

   a disease of poultry

   parrot disease, psittacosis

   infectious disease of birds

   bacillary white diarrhea, bacillary white diarrhoea, pullorum disease

   a serious bacterial disease of young chickens

   gall, saddle sore

   an open sore on the back of a horse caused by ill-fitting or badly adjusted saddle

   sand crack

   a fissure in the wall of a horse's hoof often causing lameness

   blind staggers, staggers

   a disease of the central nervous system affecting especially horses and cattle; characterized by an unsteady swaying gait and frequent falling

   sweating sickness

   a disease of cattle (especially calves)

   Texas fever

   an infectious disease of cattle transmitted by the cattle tick

   milk sickness, trembles

   disease of livestock and especially cattle poisoned by eating certain kinds of snakeroot

   zoonosis, zoonotic disease

   an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans

   rust

   a plant disease that produces a reddish-brown discoloration of leaves and stems; caused by various rust fungi

   blackheart

   any of various diseases in which the central tissues blacken

   black knot

   disease of plum and cherry trees characterized by black excrescences on the branches

   black rot

   a fungous disease causing darkening and decay of the leaves of fruits and vegetables

   black spot

   any of several fungous diseases of plants that produce small black spots on the plant

   bottom rot

   fungous disease of lettuce that first rots lower leaves and spreads upward

   brown rot

   any of certain fungous diseases of plants characterized by browning and decay of tissues

   gummosis

   pathological production of gummy exudates in citrus and various stone-fruit trees

   canker

   a fungal disease of woody plants that causes localized damage to the bark

   cotton ball

   a fungus disease of cranberries

   crown gall

   a bacterial disease of plants (especially pome and stone fruits and grapes and roses) which forms excrescences on the stem near the ground

   crown wart

   a fungous disease of alfalfa which forms white excrescences at the base of the stem

   damping off

   a plant disease caused by a fungus; diseased condition of seedlings in excessive moisture

   dieback

   a disease of plants characterized by the gradual dying of the young shoots starting at the tips and progressing to the larger branches

   dry rot

   a crumbling and drying of timber or bulbs or potatoes or fruit caused by a fungus

   heartrot

   any plant disease in which the central part of a plant rots (especially in trees)

   mosaic

   viral disease in solanaceous plants (tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco) resulting in mottling and often shriveling of the leaves

   rhizoctinia disease

   disease caused by rhizoctinia or fungi of Pellicularia and Corticium

   pink disease

   serious bark disease of many tropical crop trees (coffee, citrus, rubber); branches have a covering of pink hyphae

   potato wart

   fungous disease causing dark warty spongy excrescences in the eyes of potato tubers

   root rot

   disease characterized by root decay; caused by various fungi

   scorch

   a plant disease that produces a browning or scorched appearance of plant tissues

   sweet-potato ring rot

   disease of sweet potatoes in which roots are girdled by rings of dry rot

   sclerotium disease, sclerotium rot

   plant disease cause by fungi of the genus Sclerotium; also one in which sclerotia are formed

   Dutch elm disease

   disease of elms caused by a fungus

   ergot

   a plant disease caused by the ergot fungus

   foot rot

   plant disease in which the stem or trunk rots at the base

   pinkroot

   a fungal disease of onions

   wilt, wilt disease

   any plant disease characterized by drooping and shriveling; usually caused by parasites attacking the roots

   smut

   destructive diseases of plants (especially cereal grasses) caused by fungi that produce black powdery masses of spores

   soft rot

   mushy or slimy decay of plants caused by bacteria or fungi

   yellow dwarf

   any of several virus diseases of plants characterized by stunting and yellowing of the leaves

   yellow spot

   any of several fungous or viral diseases characterized by yellow spotting on the leaves

   nevoid elephantiasis, pachyderma

   thickening of the skin (usually unilateral on an extremity) caused by congenital enlargement of lymph vessel and lymph vessel obstruction

   dwarfism, nanism

   a genetic abnormality resulting in short stature

   lactase deficiency, lactose intolerance, milk intolerance

   congenital disorder consisting of an inability to digest milk and milk products; absence or deficiency of lactase results in an inability to hydrolyze lactose

   porphyria

   a genetic abnormality of metabolism causing abdominal pains and mental confusion

   ileus, intestinal obstruction

   blockage of the intestine (especially the ileum) that prevents the contents of the intestine from passing to the lower bowel

   dermatosclerosis, scleroderma

   an autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissue; fibrous connective tissue is deposited in the skin

   Werlhof's disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, purpura hemorrhagica, thrombocytopenic purpura

   purpura associated with a reduction in circulating blood platelets which can result from a variety of factors

   urinary tract infection

   any infection of any of the organs of the urinary tract

   Wilson's disease, hepatolenticular degeneration

   a rare inherited disorder of copper metabolism; copper accumulates in the liver and then in the red blood cells and brain

   type of:

   illness, malady, sickness, unwellness

   impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
2. noun

   any unwholesome or desperate condition
   synonyms: malady

   type of:

   condition, status

   a state at a particular time