alastrim
- noun
- Archaic
:
alastrim
- Although alastrim was less deadly, it still posed significant public health risks before the development of vaccines.
Examples
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In the early 20th century, cases of alastrim were mistakenly believed to be chickenpox in some regions.
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Public health campaigns targeted both alastrim and the more severe forms of smallpox for eradication.
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The patient was diagnosed with alastrim after showing mild symptoms.
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Doctors noted that alastrim is less severe than traditional smallpox.
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In the past, alastrim outbreaks led to widespread health education to differentiate it from more severe smallpox.
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Vaccination programs aimed to eliminate alastrim due to its mild symptoms, which often confused healthcare providers.
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Survivors of alastrim generally experienced fewer complications compared to those who contracted classic smallpox.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A less serious form of smallpox that causes small sores and a mild fever
A milder form of smallpox that kills about one person in a hundred
A mild type of smallpox that usually causes less severe sickness and few deaths
A milder form of smallpox caused by a weaker virus
A mild form of smallpox that makes people less sick than usual
A mild form of smallpox caused by a weaker virus strain
A mild form of smallpox caused by a weaker virus
A mild form of a serious disease that causes fever and skin blisters, seen historically in the West Indies
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word alastrim likely comes from the Portuguese word alastrar, which means 'to spread'. That's why it was used for a milder form of smallpox that spread through communities but caused less severe illness.