This is the 575th most frequent Croatian word.
zaraza
Contagion or infection.
Here, 'zaraza' describes infestation in a general sense, not strictly related to diseases but also invasions by unwanted organisms like pests or insects.
Zaštitili su usjeve od zaraze štetnicima.
They protected the crops from pest infestation.
Here, 'zaraza' is used to mean 'contagion' or 'infectious disease', often used in discussing epidemics or outbreaks.
Zaraza se brzo proširila sela.
The contagion quickly spread through the village.
In this sentence, 'zaraza' is used metaphorically to describe an emotion or feeling that spreads easily from one person to another.