virus

virus
vi‧rus W3 /ˈvaɪərəs $ ˈvaɪrəs/ noun1. [uncountable and countable] a very small living thing that causes infectious illnesses:
    children infected with the Aids virus
    a virus infection
2. [countable] a set of instructions secretly put onto a computer or computer program, which can destroy information. When a computer that has a virus makes a connection with another computer, for example by email, the virus can make copies of itself and move to the other computer.
3. [countable] a program that sends a large number of annoying messages to many people’s mobile phones in an uncontrolled way
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + virus
   ▪ the AIDS/flu/polio etc virus They are trying to stop the spread of the flu virus.
   ▪ a deadly/killer virus a killer virus which has already been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people
   ▪ virulent (=causing many people to become ill) Why was this particular strain of the virus so virulent?
■ verbs
   ▪ a virus causes something The virus causes people to sweat.
   ▪ carry a virus (=have a virus, which you may then give to other people) A nurse at the clinic was found to be carrying the virus.
   ▪ get a virus (also contract a virus formal) He does not know when he contracted the virus.
   ▪ be infected with a virus Thousands of people may already be infected with the virus.
   ▪ be exposed to a virus Four workers at the facility, though exposed to the virus, never became ill.
   ▪ transmit/pass on a virus (=pass it from one person or animal to another) The rabies virus is transmitted in saliva when one animal bites another.
   ▪ a virus spreads The virus spread throughout the population.
■ phrases
   ▪ a strain of a virus (=one type of it) Doctors fear that a new strain of the virus will appear.
   ▪ a virus infection The fever was caused by a virus infection.