Zebra

Zebra

(1) ZEBRA

An Ebstein-Barr virus gene which must be activated for EBV to replicate, thus acting as a switch between latency and replication. The gene is termed ZEBRA as it is localised on the EBV Bam HI Z fragment that corresponds to the EBV Replication Activator; the protein product of ZEBRA is a transcriptional transactivator

(2) Zebra

A popular ‘short form’ of the aphorism often quoted to medical students during clinical rotations—‘when you hear hoofbeats, don’t think of zebras.’ This variation of ‘Sutton’s law’ is designed to teach students a logical approach to a diagnosis, since common things occur commonly and when one hears hoofbeats, one should first think of horses and exclude them in the differential diagnosis before thinking of the unusual causes—the zebras—of a particular clinical finding.

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zebra

ass-like animals with a distinctive black and white striped coat, large ears, tufted tail and stiff mane. Called also Equus burchelli (common zebra), E. zebra (mountain zebra), E. grevyi (Grevy's zebra) and some recognized subspecies.

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zebra diagnosis

arriving at an unlikely diagnosis instead of a more common one.

zebra marks

faint striping in coats of horses, usually on the legs, also the neck and withers.

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zebra

Medtalk A popular 'short form' of the aphorism often quoted to medical students during clinical rotations–'when you hear hoofbeats, don't think of zebras'. See Sutton's law. Cf 'Red herring.'.