Flavivirus

A family of viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever and are transmitted by mosquitos and ticks. Flaviviruses have single-stranded RNA as their genetic material. The virus of yellow fever is a flavivirus.

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A genus in the family Flaviviridae that includes yellow fever, dengue, and St. Louis encephalitis viruses. [L. flavus, yellow, + virus]

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fla·vi·vi·rus 'flā-vi-.vī-rəs n

1) cap a genus of the family Flaviviridae of single-stranded RNA viruses that are transmitted by arthropod vectors and esp. by ticks and mosquitoes and that include the causative agents of dengue, Japanese B encephalitis, Saint Louis encephalitis, West Nile fever, and yellow fever

2) any virus of the family Flaviviridae

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n.

any member of a genus (and family) of arbovirus that cause a wide range of diseases in vertebrates (including humans). Transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, these include yellow fever, dengue, Kyasanur Forest disease, Russian spring-summer encephalitis, and West Nile fever.

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Fla·vi·vi·rus (flaґvĭ-vi″rəs) [flavo- + virus] a genus of viruses of the family Flaviviridae of worldwide distribution, containing about 75 species in 9 serogroups; many members can cause disease. Important human pathogens include the yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, Kyasanur Forest disease, and Omsk hemorrhagic fever viruses. Mosquitoes are the most common vector, with some species being tick-borne and some species having no known vector. Formerly called group B arboviruses.