Meanings
nounB virus (uncountable)
- uncountablebiologyA virus of the genus Simplexvirus that infects macaques and can very rarely cause zoonotic infection in humans that is highly fatal if untreated.
Synonyms: herpes B virus
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA virus of the genus Simplexvirus that infects macaques and can very rarely cause zoonotic infection in humans that is highly fatal if untreated.
Similar
herpes B virus
Origin
Named after young physician Dr. William Bartlet Brebner, whose death from the virus following a macaque bite in 1932 led to the discovery of the virus.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
B virus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/B%20virus
MLA
“B virus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/B%20virus. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “B virus,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/B%20virus.
Source: B virus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.