graft-versus-host disease

graft-ver·sus-host disease   (grāft'vûr'səs-hōst', -səz-) n.  A pathological condition in which cells from the transplanted tissue of a donor initiate an immunologic attack on the cells and tissue of the recipient.

Main Entry: graft–versus–host disease
Function: noun
: a bodily condition that results when T cells from a usually allogeneic tissue or organ transplant andespecially a bone marrow transplant react immunologically against the recipient's antigens attacking cells and tissues, that affects especially the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and liver with symptomsincluding skin rash, fever, diarrhea, liver dysfunction, abdominal pain, and anorexia, and that may be fatal —abbreviation GVHD; called also graft-versus-host reaction

graft-versus-host disease n.
A type of incompatibility reaction of transplanted cells against host tissues that possess an antigen not possessed by the donor. Also called graft versus host reaction.