How Do You Spell HORSE-SICKNESS?

Pronunciation: [hˈɔːssˈɪknəs] (IPA)

The word "horse-sickness" refers to a variety of equine diseases that can cause serious illness or death in horses. The spelling of this word follows the English phonemic system, which uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to represent pronunciation. In this case, the word is pronounced /ˈhɔːs ˌsɪknəs/, with two syllables and stress on the first. The "-sickness" part of the word follows the common English spelling pattern of adding "-ness" to a noun to make it an abstract concept.

HORSE-SICKNESS Meaning and Definition

  1. Horse-sickness is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease that primarily affects horses. Also known as African horse sickness (AHS), it is caused by the African horse sickness virus (AHSV), which belongs to the genus Orbivirus. The disease is transmitted through the bites of certain species of Culicoides midges, which act as vectors for the virus.

    The symptoms of horse-sickness can vary depending on the strain and individual horse's immune response. They typically include fever, lethargy, swelling, difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, and circulatory problems characterized by swelling and hemorrhages in various organs, particularly the lungs. In severe cases, the disease can lead to death within a matter of days.

    Horse-sickness poses a significant threat to the equine industry, as it can cause extensive economic losses due to mortality rates, trade restrictions, and the need for quarantine measures. Outbreaks of the disease have historically been localized to certain regions, with Africa being particularly affected.

    Prevention and control of horse-sickness primarily involve vaccination programs, as well as measures to reduce contact between horses and Culicoides midges, such as using insect repellents, stabling horses overnight, and avoiding turnout during times of high midge activity. International regulations may restrict the import and export of horses to and from areas where horse-sickness is prevalent to prevent its spread.

  2. A disease of horses and mules in South Africa, supposed to be due to an ultra-microscopic protozoan transmitted by the anopheles mosquito; it is characterized chiefly by dropsical effusions into the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for HORSE-SICKNESS

  • gorse-sickness
  • borse-sickness
  • norse-sickness
  • jorse-sickness
  • uorse-sickness
  • yorse-sickness
  • hirse-sickness
  • hkrse-sickness
  • hlrse-sickness
  • hprse-sickness
  • h0rse-sickness
  • h9rse-sickness
  • hoese-sickness
  • hodse-sickness
  • hofse-sickness
  • hotse-sickness
  • ho5se-sickness
  • ho4se-sickness
  • horae-sickness
  • horze-sickness

Etymology of HORSE-SICKNESS

The term "horse-sickness" originated from the combination of the words "horse" and "sickness".

The word "horse" originates from the Old English word "hors", which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic language. This word is also related to the Old High German word "hros", the Dutch word "ros", and the Old Norse word "hross". These ultimately derive from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kers-", which means "to run".

The word "sickness" comes from the Old English word "seocnes", which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*siukinass". This word is related to the Old Saxon word "siokniss", the Old High German word "suhtinissa", and the Old Norse word "siuknes".

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