morbillivirus
noun
mor·bil·li·vi·rus
mȯr-ˈbi-lə-ˌvī-rəs 
: any of a genus (Morbillivirus) of paramyxoviruses that include the causative agents of canine distemper, measles, and rinderpest
Examples of morbillivirus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2016, scientists began to vaccinate Hawaiian monk seals against a deadly strain of morbillivirus.
—
Christina Larson, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2023
In 1735, a novel disease that looked a lot like morbillivirus in humans broke out in dogs in Ecuador and Peru.
—New York Times, 19 Jan. 2022
Tigers are known to be vulnerable to rabies, anthrax and canine distemper, an often fatal morbillivirus commonly spread by stray dogs.
—Gloria Dickie, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2020
Plus, there’s currently no vaccine to inoculate monk seals from toxoplasmosis the way that HMSRP has been doing as a preventative against a morbillivirus outbreak.
—Kim Steutermann Rogers, Smithsonian, 9 July 2018
The School of Oceanography at the State University of Rio de Janeiro confirmed that cetacean morbillivirus, which can infect dolphins, porpoises, and whales, killed the marine mammals.
—Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2018
Some 1,500 dolphins were killed by a single outbreak of morbilliviruses on the East Coast several years ago.
—New York Times, 9 July 2018
In the northeastern United States, strains of morbillivirus killed harbor seals in 2006 and bottlenose dolphins between 1987 and 1988.
—Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2018
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Christina Larson, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2023
In 1735, a novel disease that looked a lot like morbillivirus in humans broke out in dogs in Ecuador and Peru.
—New York Times, 19 Jan. 2022
Tigers are known to be vulnerable to rabies, anthrax and canine distemper, an often fatal morbillivirus commonly spread by stray dogs.
—Gloria Dickie, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2020
Plus, there’s currently no vaccine to inoculate monk seals from toxoplasmosis the way that HMSRP has been doing as a preventative against a morbillivirus outbreak.
—Kim Steutermann Rogers, Smithsonian, 9 July 2018
The School of Oceanography at the State University of Rio de Janeiro confirmed that cetacean morbillivirus, which can infect dolphins, porpoises, and whales, killed the marine mammals.
—Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2018
Some 1,500 dolphins were killed by a single outbreak of morbilliviruses on the East Coast several years ago.
—New York Times, 9 July 2018
In the northeastern United States, strains of morbillivirus killed harbor seals in 2006 and bottlenose dolphins between 1987 and 1988.
—Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Morbillivirus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morbillivirus. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
morbillivirus
noun
mor·bil·li·vi·rus
-ˌvī-rəs
1
capitalized
: a genus of single-stranded RNA viruses of the family Paramyxoviridae that includes the causative agents of measles, canine distemper, and rinderpest
2
: any of the genus Morbillivirus of paramyxoviruses
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