Venezuelan equine encephalitis

noun

variants or less commonly Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis

: equine encephalitis occurring from northern South America to Mexico : equine encephalitis sense c

A pioneer in vaccine research, he [Robert Johnston] and his co-workers used genetic engineering to develop a vaccine for Venezuelan equine encephalitis, a deadly disease in South and Central America that affects people and livestock and is transmitted by mosquitoes.

—Sabine Volmer

—abbreviation VEE

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Venezuelan equine encephalitis

noun

Ven·​e·​zu·​e·​lan equine encephalitis ˌven-əz(-ə)-ˈwā-lən- 

variants also Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis

: equine encephalitis occurring from northern South America to Mexico : equine encephalitis sense c

… Venezuelan equine encephalitis, a deadly disease in South and Central America that affects people and livestock and is transmitted by mosquitoes.

—Sabine Vollmer, The News & Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina)