Sindbis virus

noun

Sind·​bis virus ˈsind-bis- 

: a virus of the genus Alphavirus (species Sindbis virus) that is transmitted by mosquitoes especially of the genus Culex and that causes a febrile disease which is marked by joint pain, rash, and malaise and which occurs in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Australia

The Sindbis virus, named for the town in Egypt where it was identified 50 years ago, has been found to target and kill tumor cells in mice.

—Frank D. Roylance, The Chicago Tribune

Recombinant Sindbis viruses and replicons have been useful as vectors for high level foreign gene expression, but the cytopathic effects of viral replication have limited their use to transient studies.

—Eugene V. Agapov et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences