equine encephalitis
noun
variants or less commonly equine encephalomyelitis
: any of three virus diseases chiefly of equines and humans in various parts of North and South America that are transmitted especially by mosquitoes, are characterized in humans by flu-like symptoms which often progress to encephalitis and sometimes to coma and death, and are caused by three togaviruses (species Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, and Western equine encephalitis virus of the genus Alphavirus)
a
: one that occurs in the eastern U.S. and Canada
called also eastern equine encephalitis, eastern equine encephalomyelitis, triple E
b
: one that occurs in the western U.S. and Canada
called also western equine encephalitis, western equine encephalomyelitis
c
: one that occurs from northern South America to Mexico
called also Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The state health laboratories work to investigate and mitigate life-threatening diseases, including COVID-19, eastern equine encephalitis, Ebola, H1N1 and Zika. 
From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2021 Back in 2013, the main target at Emory’s DRIVE was Venezuelan equine encephalitis, a mosquito-borne illness with a high mortality rate that can affect people and horses. Helena Oliviero, ajc, 25 Nov. 2021 No human or animal cases of West Nile or Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as EEE, have been detected so far this year in Massachusetts, DPH said. BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2021 Connecticut health officials are cautioning southeastern area state residents after the potentially deadly mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus was detected for the first time this year. Keira Wingate, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2021 Connecticut health officials are cautioning southeastern area state residents over the potentially deadly mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus after detecting virus-positive mosquitoes. Kayla Rivas, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2021 It has also been shown to hobble alpha viruses that cause equine encephalitis, the Ebola virus and others. Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021 The sentinel chicken -- among many deployed by the department throughout the county -- detected Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, in zip code 36541, which covers western Mobile County. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2021 One of the chickens used by the Mobile County Health Department to detect a mosquito-borne virus tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis, the agency said Tuesday. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2021 See More
From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2021 Back in 2013, the main target at Emory’s DRIVE was Venezuelan equine encephalitis, a mosquito-borne illness with a high mortality rate that can affect people and horses. Helena Oliviero, ajc, 25 Nov. 2021 No human or animal cases of West Nile or Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as EEE, have been detected so far this year in Massachusetts, DPH said. BostonGlobe.com, 15 July 2021 Connecticut health officials are cautioning southeastern area state residents after the potentially deadly mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus was detected for the first time this year. Keira Wingate, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2021 Connecticut health officials are cautioning southeastern area state residents over the potentially deadly mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus after detecting virus-positive mosquitoes. Kayla Rivas, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2021 It has also been shown to hobble alpha viruses that cause equine encephalitis, the Ebola virus and others. Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021 The sentinel chicken -- among many deployed by the department throughout the county -- detected Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, in zip code 36541, which covers western Mobile County. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2021 One of the chickens used by the Mobile County Health Department to detect a mosquito-borne virus tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis, the agency said Tuesday. Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1910, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
equine encephalitis
noun
: any of three virus diseases chiefly of equines and humans in various parts of North and South America that are transmitted especially by mosquitoes, are characterized in humans by flu-like symptoms which often progress to encephalitis and sometimes to coma and death, and are caused by three togaviruses of the genus Alphavirus (species Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus):
a
: one that occurs in the eastern U.S. and Canada
called also eastern equine encephalitis, eastern equine encephalomyelitis
b
: one that occurs in the western U.S. and Canada
called also western equine encephalitis, western equine encephalomyelitis
c
: one that occurs from northern South America to Mexico
called also Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis