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erysipelas

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er⋅y⋅sip⋅e⋅las

[er-uh-sip-uh-luhs, eer-uh-]
–noun
1. Pathology. an acute, febrile infectious disease, caused by a specific streptococcus, characterized by diffusely spreading deep-red inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes.
2. Also called swine erysipelas. Veterinary Pathology. a disease of swine, caused by the organism Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, characterized by urticaria, vegetative endocarditis, arthritis, and sometimes septicemia.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME erisipila < L erysipelas < Gk, equiv. to erysi- (prob. akin to erythrós red) + -pelas prob. skin (akin to pélma sole of the foot; cf. L pellis skin)


er⋅y⋅si⋅pel⋅a⋅tous [er-uh-si-pel-uh-tuhs, eer-] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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er·y·sip·e·las   (ěr'ĭ-sĭp'ə-ləs, îr'-)   
n.  An acute disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by a species of hemolytic streptococcus and marked by localized inflammation and fever. Also called Saint Anthony's fire.

[Middle English erisipila, from Latin erysipelas, from Greek erusipelas : erusi-, red; see reudh- in Indo-European roots + -pelas, skin; see pel-3 in Indo-European roots.]
er'y·si·pel'a·tous (-sĭ-pěl'ə-təs) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

erysipelas 
1398, skin disease also known as St. Anthony's Fire, from Gk. erysipelas, perhaps from erythros "red" + pella "skin." Erythros is cognate with L. ruber, rufus, Goth. rauþs, O.E. read from the PIE base for "red" (see red); the initial -e- is because Gk. tends to avoid beginning words with -r-.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: er·y·sip·e·las
Pronunciation: "er-&-'sip-(&-)l&s, "ir-
Function: noun
1 : an acute febriledisease that is associated with intense often vesicular and edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues and that is caused by a hemolytic streptococcus
2 : SWINE ERYSIPELAS —used especially when the disease affects other hosts than swine
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

erysipelas er·y·sip·e·las (ěr'ĭ-sĭp'ə-ləs, ēr'-)
n.
An acute disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by a hemolytic bacterium and marked by localized inflammation and fever. Also called Saint Anthony's fire.


er'y·si·pel'a·tous (-sĭ-pěl'ə-təs) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia

erysipelas

contagious infection of the skin and underlying tissue, caused by group A B-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria. Erysipelas causes affected areas of skin to turn bright red and become slightly swollen. The swollen blotches have a distinct border and slowly expand into the surrounding skin. The lesions are most commonly seen on the face, scalp, hands, and legs. They feel hot to the touch and the patient is feverish.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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