nákalez

Nákalez is a Czech and Slovak noun used to denote a contagion, infectious disease, or infectious agent. In general usage it refers to the state or process by which an infection spreads between individuals, animals, or within a population, and may also be applied to contaminated materials or environments that can transmit disease.

The term appears in everyday language, historical texts and some medical contexts, though modern clinical terminology more often prefers words such as infekce (infection) or patogen. Nákalez carries a broad connotation and can cover viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic causes of disease as well as nonbiological contamination in colloquial speech.

Etymologically the word is related to roots for infection and contamination in West Slavic languages and is linked to the verb nakazit (to infect). Its usage peaked in older medical and public-health literature and in folk descriptions of epidemics; contemporary professional discourse typically uses more specific diagnostic terms.

In public-health communication and historical accounts, nákalez is used to describe outbreaks, modes of transmission and preventive measures in general terms. Understanding the precise meaning in any text requires attention to context, since the term may signify either the infectious agent itself, the condition of being infected, or the broader phenomenon of contagious spread. Synonyms include nákaza and infekce depending on register and specificity.