Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

195 results found

mononucleosis, infectious

(Encyclopedia)mononucleosis, infectious mŏnˌəno͞oˌklēōˈsĭs [key], acute infectious disease of older children and young adults, occurring sporadically or in epidemic form, also known as mono, glandular feve...

macular degeneration

(Encyclopedia)macular degeneration, eye disorder causing loss of central vision. The affected area, the macula, lies at the back of the retina and is the part that produces the sharpest vision. The most serious vis...

Reuter, Fritz

(Encyclopedia)Reuter, Fritz (Heinrich Ludwig Christian Friedrich Reuter) , hīnˈrĭkh lo͞otˈvĭkh krĭsˈtyän frēˈdrĭkh [key], 1810–74, German writer. His tales of Mecklenburg life are among the best of Ge...

Colorado tick fever

(Encyclopedia)Colorado tick fever or mountain tick fever, acute disease caused by infection with a double-stranded RNA virus (a Coltvirus) that is transmitted to humans by Rocky Mountain wood ticks (Dermacentor and...

typhoid fever

(Encyclopedia)typhoid fever acute, generalized infection caused by Salmonella typhi. The main sources of infection are contaminated water or milk and, especially in urban communities, food handlers who are carriers...

Pachycephalosaurus

(Encyclopedia)Pachycephalosaurus păkˌĭsĕfˌəlōsôrˈəs [key] [Gr., = thick-headed lizard], bipedal herbivorous dinosaur of the late Cretaceous period, approximately 68–65 million years ago. Its disting...

bursitis

(Encyclopedia)bursitis bərsīˈtəs [key], acute or chronic inflammation of a bursa, or fluid sac, located close to a joint. In response to irritation or injury the bursa may become inflamed, causing pain, restric...

thrombosis

(Encyclopedia)thrombosis thrŏmbōˈsĭs [key], obstruction of an artery or vein by a blood clot (thrombus). Arterial thrombosis is generally more serious because the supply of oxygen and nutrition to an area of th...

chorea

(Encyclopedia)chorea kərēˈə, kō– [key] or St. Vitus's dance, acute disturbance of the central nervous system characterized by involuntary muscular movements of the face and extremities. The disease, known al...

psoriasis

(Encyclopedia)psoriasis sôrīˈəsĭs [key], occasionally acute but usually chronic and recurrent inflammation of the skin. The exact cause is unknown, but the disease appears to be an inherited, possibly autoimmu...