avian influenza: Meaning and Definition of

a'vian influen'za

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. an acute, usually fatal viral disease of chickens and other domestic and wild birds except pigeons, characterized by sudden onset of symptoms including fever, swollen head and neck, bluish-black comb and wattle, and difficult respiration. Also called
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.