chlamydia

[ kluh-mid-ee-uh ]

noun

, plural chla·myd·i·ae [kl, uh, -, mid, -ee-ee].

1. Microbiology. any coccoid rickettsia of the genus Chlamydia, parasitic in birds and mammals, including humans, and causing various infections, especially of the eyes, as trachoma, lungs, as psittacosis, and genitourinary tract, as urethritis or chlamydia.
2. Pathology. Also called lym·pho·gran·u·lo·ma ve·ne·re·um [lim-f, uh, -gran-y, uh, -, loh, -m, uh, v, uh, -, neer, -ee-, uh, m]. a widespread, often asymptomatic sexually transmitted disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, a major cause of nongonococcal urethritis in men and pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy in women.

chlamydia

/ kləˈmɪdɪə /

noun

1. any Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Chlamydia , which are obligate intracellular parasites and are responsible for such diseases as trachoma, psittacosis, and some sexually transmitted diseases

chlamydia

/ klə-mĭd′ē-ə /

, Plural chlamydiae klə-mĭd′ē-ē′

1. Any of various bacteria of the genus Chlamydia, several species of which cause common infections in humans and animals, including neonatal conjunctivitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, pharyngitis, and sexually transmitted infections of the pelvis and urethra.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chlamydia¹

First recorded in 1945 in an article by Helen Jones, Geoffrey Rake, and Barbara Stearns as the proposed name of a taxon; 1966 in the current sense; from New Latin, from Greek chlamyd- (stem of chlamýs chlamys ) + New Latin -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of chlamydia¹

C20: New Latin, from Greek khlamus mantle + -ia

Example Sentences

About 400 koalas are currently undergoing a clinical trial for a chlamydia vaccine in Queensland, Australia.

From Popular-Science

Although many koalas with chlamydia can be treated using traditional antibiotics, some animals cannot be saved due to the severity of their infection.

From Popular-Science

The chlamydia epidemic in koalas has been ravaging populations since the 1990s, especially along the east and southeast Australian coasts.

From Popular-Science

The post A new vaccine may curb the koala chlamydia epidemic appeared first on Popular Science.

From Popular-Science

This is worrisome, she says, because chlamydia rates are disproportionately high among sexually active adolescents, who frequently don’t develop symptoms until the infection’s later stages.

From Washington Post

Mental illness is a disease just as much as cancer or chlamydia.

From The Daily Beast

Bacterial pathogens include gonorrhea (yes) which can cause blindness in a matter of hours, and chlamydia.

From The Daily Beast

That time that Andy thought she got chlamydia, but really she was just preggers!

From The Daily Beast

Women were infected with gonorrhea and chlamydia from unsterilized instruments.

From The Daily Beast

We test monthly for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and the big one, HIV.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• AIDS
• gonorrhea
• herpes
• syphilis
• the clap
• venereal disease