cowpox

cow·pox

C0710100 (kou′pŏks′)n. A mild contagious skin disease of cattle, usually affecting the udder, that is caused by a virus and characterized by the eruption of a pustular rash. When the virus is transmitted to humans, as by vaccination, it can confer immunity to smallpox. Also called vaccinia.

cowpox

(ˈkaʊˌpɒks) n (Veterinary Science) a contagious viral disease of cows characterized by vesicles on the skin, esp on the teats and udder. Inoculation of humans with this virus provides temporary immunity to smallpox. It can be transmitted to other species, esp cats

cow•pox

(ˈkaʊˌpɒks)

n. a mild disease of cattle, now rare, characterized by a pustular rash on the teats and udder, caused by a poxvirus that was formerly used for smallpox vaccinations. [1790–1800]

Thesaurus

Noun

cowpox - a viral disease of cattle causing a mild skin disease affecting the udder; formerly used to inoculate humans against smallpoxvacciniapox - a contagious disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pock marksanimal disease - a disease that typically does not affect human beings

Translations

cowpox

cowpox,

infectious disease of cows caused by a virus related to the virus of smallpox. Also called variola, it is characterized by pustular lesions on the teats and udder. Cowpox is transmitted by contact, inducing a mild infection of the hands in persons who milk infected cows. The fact that such persons had immunity to smallpox led Edward JennerJenner, Edward,
1749–1823, English physician; pupil of John Hunter. His invaluable experiments beginning in 1796 with the vaccination of eight-year-old James Phipps proved that cowpox provided immunity against smallpox.
..... Click the link for more information. to attempt vaccinationvaccination,
means of producing immunity against pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, by the introduction of live, killed, or altered antigens that stimulate the body to produce antibodies against more dangerous forms.
..... Click the link for more information. with this virus, instead of using the dangerous method of vaccinating with material from the sores of smallpox. Jenner's method was successful and is the basis of the modern vaccination against smallpox. Horses and sheep may contract a similar disease.

cowpox

[′kau̇‚päks] (veterinary medicine) vaccinia

cowpox

a contagious viral disease of cows characterized by vesicles on the skin, esp on the teats and udder. Inoculation of humans with this virus provides temporary immunity to smallpox. It can be transmitted to other species, esp cats

cowpox

[kow´poks] a mild pustular eruption affecting milk cows, usually confined to the udder and teats, caused by the vaccinia virus, and transmissible to humans. Edward Jenner, in the 18th century, discovered that cowpox could be transmitted to humans who milked or tended cattle, and also noted that persons who contracted it in this way seldom contracted smallpox. This discovery led to vaccination against smallpox.

cowpox

(kou′pŏks′)n. A mild contagious skin disease of cattle, usually affecting the udder, that is caused by a virus and characterized by the eruption of a pustular rash. When the virus is transmitted to humans, as by vaccination, it can confer immunity to smallpox. Also called vaccinia.

cowpox

A mild disease of cows' udders and teats that can be transmitted to people, doing manual milking. It causes skin blisters and confers immunity against SMALLPOX-a somewhat academic consideration now that this disease has been eradicated. Jenner's observations on cowpox led to vaccination and the science of immunology. (Edward Jenner, 1749–1823, English physician).

cowpox

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cow•pox

cowpox

cowpox,

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Synonyms for cowpox

noun a viral disease of cattle causing a mild skin disease affecting the udder

Synonyms

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