Erysipelas

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  erysipelas \er`y*sip"e*las\ ([e^]r`[i^]*s[i^]p"[-e]*las), n.
     [L., fr. Gr. 'erysi`pelas; 'eryqro`s red + pe`lla hide, skin.
     See {Red}, and {Pell}, n.] (Med.)
     St. Anthony's fire; a febrile disease accompanied with a
     diffused red edematous inflammation of the skin, which,
     starting usually from a single point, spreads gradually over


     its surface. It is often accompanied by severe constitutional
     symptoms. It is caused by a group A hemolytic streptococcus
     ({Streptococcus pyogenes}), is contagious, and formerly often
     occured epidemically.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  erysipelas
       n : an acute streptococcal infection characterized by deep-red
           inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes