typhus
n. uncountablen. a serious disease that is spread by insects like lice or ticks. It causes a high fever, a rash, and often makes you feel very weak.
n. an acute infectious disease caused by rickettsial bacteria, typically transmitted to humans through the bite of infected arthropods such as lice or ticks. It is characterised by a high fever, headache, and a distinctive rash.
The soldiers were vaccinated against typhus before the mission.
During the war, poor hygiene and overcrowding in the camps led to a rapid outbreak of typhus among the refugees.
Historical records indicate that typhus was a significant cause of mortality in urban slums and military encampments before the development of modern antibiotics and improved sanitation.
From New Latin typhus, from Ancient Greek τῦφος (tûphos, “fever, stupor”), from τύφω (túphō, “to smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, extended form of dʰew- (“scatter like dust”).