contagious disease

noun

plural contagious diseases

: an infectious disease (such as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (such as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

Note: The terms contagious disease and communicable disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases such as malaria or schistosomiasis that are spread by contact with disease vectors (such as mosquitoes or ticks) are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.

Examples of contagious disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cholera is a highly contagious disease that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration, and could be fatal if not immediately treated, according to WHO. —Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024

However, breeding did decline in the past couple of years after park managers moved all the park’s birds to protected spaces to try to keep them safe from highly pathogenic avian influenza, a highly contagious disease. —Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024

In addition to measles, those vaccines protect against other contagious diseases such as whooping cough and chickenpox. —Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024

Extremist state legislators in Ohio, for instance, have given politicians the right to revoke any rule from the state health department designed to limit the spread of contagious disease. —The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

contagious disease

noun

: an infectious disease (as influenza, measles, or tuberculosis) that is transmitted by contact with an infected individual or infected bodily discharges or fluids (as respiratory droplets), by contact with a contaminated surface or object, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water

Note: The terms contagious disease and communicable disease are often used interchangeably. However, communicable diseases (as malaria or schistosomiasis) that are spread by contact with disease vectors (as mosquitoes or ticks) are not typically considered to be "contagious" diseases since they cannot be spread from direct contact with another person.