pestilence

noun

1. 1

   a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of

   racism is a pestilence at the heart of the nation

   according to him, I was the canker in their midst

2. 2

   any epidemic disease with a high death rate

3. 3

   a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal