Crossword Genius

Disease from insects, first off (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rickets

'disease' is the definition.
(rickets is a kind of health problem)

'insects first off' is the wordplay.
'insects' becomes 'crickets' (cricket is a kind of insect).
'first off' means to remove the first letter.
'crickets' with its first letter taken away is 'RICKETS'.

'from' is the link.

(Other definitions for rickets that I've seen before include "Childhood disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D" , "Bone disease, caused by vitamin D deficiency" , "Bone-distorting disease" , "Children's disease" .)

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