| west indies | Islands lying between southeastern north america and northern south america, enclosing the caribbean sea. They comprise the greater antilles (cuba, dominican republic, haiti, jamaica, and puerto rico), the lesser antilles (antigua and the other leeward islands, barbados, martinique and the other windward islands, netherlands antilles, virgin islands of the united states, and the islands north of venezuela which include trinidad and tobago), and the bahamas. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| West Nile encephalitis virus | Caused by a virus in the family Flaviviridae. Synonym: West Nile virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| west nile fever | <virology> A tropical disease caused by dengue virus (Arbovirus), that is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito of the genus Aedes). Four severity grades of the illness are seen: Grade I (fever and constitutional symptoms) Grade II (grade I plus spontaneous bleeding of skin, gums or gastrointestinal tract) Grade III (grade II plus agitation and circulatory failure) Grade IV (profound shock). Grade I infection is seen most frequently in world travelers, where it is usually self-limited and rarely fatal. The other grades are referred to as dengue haemorrhagic fever and are often fatal. Dengue haemorrhagic fever appears to be an infection by one of the other dengue viruses. Prior immunity to a different dengue virus type appears to be important in the development of the more serious haemorrhagic form. Vaccines are available. Protection from mosquitoes is an important preventive measure. (27 Sep 1997) |
| west nile virus | A species of flavivirus, one of the japanese encephalitis virus group (encephalitis viruses, japanese), which produces encephalitis experimentally when inoculated into some rodents, chicks, birds, or monkeys. In humans, it is seen most frequently in africa, asia, and europe presenting as a silent infection or undifferentiated fever (west nile fever). It is transmitted by culex spp mosquitoes. (12 Dec 1998) |
| West's syndrome | <syndrome> An encephalopathy in infancy characterised by infantile spasms, arrest of psychomotor development, and hypsarrhythmia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| zone 1, 2, 3, 4 of West | In pulmonary physiology, defines the levels in a vertical lung according to the relationships of alveolar gas pressure, capillary blood pressure, and pulmonary venous pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |