lurgy

/L ER0 JH IY0/
noun
  1. 1

    A fictitious, highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgi", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms

  2. 2

    Any uncategorised disease with symptoms similar to a cold or flu that renders one unable to work.

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lurgy