pestilence -
a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of; "racism is a pestilence at the heart of the nation"; "according to him, I was the canker in their midst"
epidemic disease any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people
pestilence -
a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
epidemic disease any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people
bubonic plague,
glandular plague,
pestis bubonica the most common form of the plague in humans; characterized by chills, prostration, delirium and the formation of buboes in the armpits and groin; does not spread from person to person
plague pneumonia,
pneumonic plague,
pulmonic plague a rapidly progressive and frequently fatal form of the plague that can spread through the air from person to person; characterized by lung involvement with chill, bloody expectoration and high fever
