noun
nosophobia; disease phobia
Medical term for an irrational fear of contracting a disease.
疾病恐怖症の患者は、少しの症状でも重病を疑うことがある。
Patients with nosophobia may suspect a serious illness even from minor symptoms.
心気症 (hypochondriasis) involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite medical reassurance, while 疾病恐怖症 is a specific phobia of contracting a disease.
Compound of 疾病 (disease) + 恐怖症 (phobia). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term follows the standard pattern for naming phobias in medical Japanese.