"Variola" Natural Recordings by Native Speakers
Variola, also known as smallpox, is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It mainly affects humans and is characterized by a distinctive, progressive rash, fever, and headache. Variola virus was responsible for several centuries of large-scale epidemics and pandemics, including the well-documented global outbreak of 1957. However, smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980, following a global vaccination campaign that was one of the most successful disease-control measures in history.
Varifocals are multifocal glasses that have a gradual change in the power of the lenses, instead of the usual sharp jump from one power to another found in bifocal glasses. This design allows for a more natural and smooth transition between near, intermediate, and far vision.
A varicocele is a swelling of the veins that drains the testicle, similar to varicose veins in the legs. It occurs when the valves in the veins that carry blood away from the testicle do not function properly, causing blood to pool and swell the veins. This can cause swelling in the scrotum, discomfort, and difficulty with fertility in men.
Variola is the virus that causes smallpox, a serious and sometimes deadly infectious disease that was once widespread across the globe. The word "variola" comes from the Latin "variola," meaning "spotted" or "speckled," which refers to the characteristic rash of red spots that appears on the skin of those infected. Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 after a global vaccination campaign, but the virus still exists in laboratories for research purposes.
Hydatidiform - relating to or caused by a hydatid, a parasitic swelling formed from the membranes or a cyst of a parasite, especially T. solium, a type of tapeworm.
Varied in shape; varicose or nodular in form, especially said of wood or other fibrous parts.
A relatively rare mineral, a potassium aluminum silicate with a chemical formula KAlSi₃O₈. It is typically colorless or white.