Alphaviruses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of viruses classified under the Togaviridae family known for being transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and causing diseases in humans and animals characterized by fever, rash, and joint pain
2. Arthropod-borne viruses that belong to a certain genus, often spreading through mosquito bites and leading to various febrile illnesses with symptoms including rash and arthritis-like effects
3. Viruses transmitted by insect vectors such as mosquitoes, belonging to a specific viral group, associated with infections marked by fever, skin eruptions, and inflammatory joint conditions

Etymology: "Alphaviruses" is the plural of "alphavirus," a name built from the Greek letter alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and "virus." The second element comes from Latin, where "virus" originally meant poison or venom, a sense it kept in English until the late nineteenth century, when it was applied to disease-causing agents too small to see.

Synonyms: alphavirus genus, arboviruses, togaviruses