diphtheria

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diph·the·ri·a / difˈ[unvoicedth]irēə; dip-/ • n. a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae and characterized by the formation of a breath-obstructing membrane in the throat and by a potentially fatal toxin in the blood. DERIVATIVES: diph·the·ri·al adj.diph·the·rit·ic / ˌdif[unvoicedth]əˈritik; ˌdip-/ adj.

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