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Any disease caused by the entrance, growth, and multiplication of bacteria or protozoans in the body; a germ disease. It may not be contagious.

A chronic infectious disease of cattle and man due to the presence of Actinomyces bovis. It causes local suppurating tumors, esp. about the jaw. Called also lumpy jaw or big jaw. -- Ac`ti*no*my*cot"ic (#), a.

A preservative against contagious and infectious diseases, and the effects of poison in general. Brande & C.

An infectious disease of cattle and sheep. It is ascribed to the presence of a rod-shaped bacterium (Bacillus anthracis), the spores of which constitute the contagious matter. It may be transmitted to man by inoculation. The spleen becomes greatly enlarged and filled with bacteria. Called also splenic fever.…

species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear to be the cause of certain infectious diseases. See Bacillus.

The theory which likens the course of certain diseases (esp. infectious diseases) to the process of fermentation, and attributes them to the organized ferments in the body. It does not differ materially from the accepted germ theory (which see).

g, the quarantine flag of all nations; also carried at a vessel's fore, to denote that an infectious disease is on board.

(Med.) The theory which attributes contagious and infectious diseases, suppurative lesions, etc., to the agency of germs. The science of bacteriology was developed after this theory had been established.

germs, particularly bacteria, or bacterial germs, which are considered the cause of many infectious diseases. -- n.

To affect with infectious disease; to communicate infection to; as, infected with the plague. Them that were left alive being infected with this disease. Sir T. North.

causes the communicated disease; any effluvium, miasm, or pestilential matter by which an infectious disease is caused. And that which was still worse, they that did thus break out spread the infection further by their wandering about with the distemper upon them. De Foe.

- particularly applied to bacteria and similar organisms, esp. such are supposed to cause infectious diseases.

A very minute plant, one of certain unicellular algæ, such as the germs of various infectious diseases are believed to be.

One of a class of virulent microörganisms or bacteria found in the tissues and fluids in infectious diseases, and supposed to be the cause of the disease; a pathogenic organism; a pathogenic bacterium; -- opposed to zymogene.

to gather here and there; as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.(c) to acquire (an infectious disease); as, to pick up a cold on the airplane. (d) To meet (a person) and induce to accompany one; as, to pick up a date at the mall. [See several other defs in MW10]

ellow flag hoisted at the fore of a vessel or hung from a building, to give warning of an infectious disease; -- called also the yellow jack, and yellow flag.

The pox, or venereal disease; a chronic, specific, infectious disease, usually communicated by sexual intercourse or by hereditary transmission, and occurring in three stages known as primary, secondary, and tertiary syphilis. See under Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary.Treponema pallidum. Usu. tretable with penicillin…

A fermentation; hence, an analogous process by which an infectious disease is believed to be developed.