variola major

Definitions of variola major

1. noun

   a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars
   synonyms: smallpox, variola

   types:

   Cuban itch, Kaffir pox, West Indian smallpox, alastrim, milk pox, pseudosmallpox, pseudovariola, variola minor, white pox

   a mild form of smallpox caused by a less virulent form of the virus

   type of:

   pox

   a contagious disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pock marks
2. noun

   a type of smallpox virus that has a fatality rate of up to 25 percent
   synonyms: variola major virus

   type of:

   smallpox virus, variola virus

   the virus that causes smallpox in humans; can be used as a bioweapon