patient zero
"Patient zero" is a crucial concept in epidemiology, helping trace the origin and spread of infectious diseases.
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Definition
C1Epidemiology
(technical)The first person identified as being infected with a disease in an outbreak.
Example
- Identifying patient zero helped the researchers understand how the virus spread.
B2General
(informal, figurative)The origin or initial source of something.
Example
- He was considered patient zero for the new trend in the office.