A Disease By Any Other Name Trivia Quiz

Answer: German measles

Rubella is Latin for "little red", which describes the rash of tiny little spots that occurs in approximately half of infected patients. It is similar to the rash that occurs in measles but is less bright. The disease is called German measles because, in 1814, German doctors were the first to realise it was a separate disease from measles.

It is caused by the rubella virus. Typically it tends to be a mild disease but it can be very serious if contracted during pregnancy.

Answer: measles

With respect to etymology, rubeola is Latin for "little red" (the same as rubella). However, they are two separate diseases. Both words refer to the rash of little red spots but the rash that occurs in measles tends to be brighter or deeper in colour than that of rubella. The word "measles" is derived from a Dutch word "maselen" (many little spots).

Answer: chickenpox

Varicella is Latin for "tiny spot". This relatively mild disease was given the name chickenpox in the 18th century to distinguish it from smallpox, a much more serious disease. "Chicken" was meant to imply weak or petty - the same sort of usage occurs in expressions like chicken out, chicken-hearted or chicken-feed. The disease is caused by the varicella zoster virus.

Answer: morning sickness

Nausea gravidarum or morning sickness is a medical condition rather than a disease. It refers to the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. Although it tends to occur in the morning, it can happen at any time of the day or all day long. Nausea comes from the Greek "nausia" meaning seasickness and gravidarum from the Latin "gravida" meaning pregnant.

Answer: mumps

Parotitis, or mumps, is an infection of the parotid glands which are located at the side of the face, near the ears. Parotid means "near the ear" in both Greek and Latin. There are a number of theories concerning the origin of the name "mumps". Some think it is derived from the Icelandic word "mumpa" (to eat greedily, to fill the mouth too full).

Others think it comes from an Old English verb "to mump" (to appear sulky or sullen). Both refer to the fact that a patient with mumps usually exhibits swelling of the lower half of the face; i.e. "chipmunk cheeks".

Answer: whooping cough

The term "pertussis" is derived from the Latin "per" meaning through, and "tussis" meaning cough. It is known as whooping cough because of the peculiar and distinctive sound (like a "whoop") that the sufferer makes when he or she gasps for air after a bout of coughing. It is caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis.

Answer: leprosy

The name leprosy comes from the Greek word "lepros" meaning "scaly, rough or mangy". It is also known as Hansen's disease because Gerhard Hansen, a Norwegian doctor, discovered the bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae) which caused the disease in 1873. However, it is believed that the disease which we know as leprosy today may not actually be the same disease that the ancient Greeks called leprosy - they may have been referring to skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Answer: autoimmune thyroiditis

Rather than being caused by a pathogenic or disease-causing organism, such as a bacterium or virus, Hashimoto's disease is caused by the body forming antibodies against its own thyroid tissue (autoimmunity), resulting in a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis). This disorder is named after a Japanese surgeon, Hakaru Hashimoto.

Answer: common cold

Coryza comes from the Greek "koryza", meaning "running at the nose", referring to one of the main symptoms. The common cold can be caused by a variety of viruses but the main culprits are the rhinoviruses; their name is derived from the Greek "rhinos" meaning nose.

Answer: the clap

Gonorrhoea is an infection of the mucous membranes of the sex organs caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It comes from the Greek "gonos" meaning genitals and "rhoia" meaning to flow. The name refers to one of the main symptoms - a yellow discharge flowing from the penis in males. Women, however, are often asymptomatic (i.e. no symptoms).

The nickname "the clap" appears to date back to the 16th century. There are several theories as to where this name came from. The one that is believed most likely is that it relates to the French word "clapier" meaning brothel - which makes a lot of sense as the disease could be asymptomatic in a prostitute who could pass it on to many men.