Home Subjects Archives Quotations
Search: Search Tips

disease cluster (duh.ZEEZ clus.tur) n. A geographical region where an above average percentage of the population has, or has had, a particular disease.

Example Citation:
An unexplained pattern of illnesses has been found in hundreds of people living near the nation's nuclear facilities, The Tennessean in Nashville reports today.

Peter Brush, DOE's top health official, . . . said DOE officials will review the national health complaints raised by The Tennessean. If disease clusters are found, the DOE could urge the CDC to begin a study.
—Kathryn Winiarski, "News report traces pattern of illnesses near nuclear plants," USA Today, September 29, 1998

Earliest Citation:
Medical sleuths troubled by an outbreak of meningitis that has killed four people and afflicted 30 others in Houston are seeking a common source for a puzzling cluster of the disease in the nation's fifth-largest city.
—Sharon Herbaugh, "Doctors Seek Common Link To Puzzling disease cluster," The Associated Press, February 7, 1981

Related Words:
community spread
fascinoma
Hispanic paradox
ICU psychosis
stroke belt
sundowning
superinfector

Subject Categories:
Science - Diseases and Syndromes
Sociology - Demographics
The World - Geography

Posted on February 8, 1999 at 10:53 AM
Updated on February 8, 1999 at 10:53 AM


 Recent posts:
  free-range kid
  bio-mom
  jingle mail
  tuxeda
  boreout
  scuppie
  allergy bullying
  IMBY
  agflation
  mullet strategy
 Alphabetical archives:
  A B C D E F G H I
  J K L M N O P Q R
  S T U V W X Y Z #
 Other links:
Top 100 Words

Recent Words

Recent Quotes

Word Spy, The Book

Word Spy Citations

Feedback

My Favorite Words

My Neologisms

Paul McFedries



Copyright © 1995 - 2008 Paul McFedries and Logophilia Limited