spirillum
Americannoun
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any of several spirally twisted, aerobic bacteria of the genus Spirillum, certain species of which are pathogenic for humans.
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any of various similar microorganisms.
noun
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Etymology
Origin of spirillum
1870–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin spīr ( a ) ( see spire 2) + -illum diminutive suffix
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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One is a wriggly spirillum, the other a cigar-shaped bacillus.
From Time Magazine Archive
In typhus there is no characteristic spirillum, and the lesions which are truly characteristic of relapsing fever are totally wanting.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
"In some way," he replied quickly, "they have become infected by the bite of an African tick which carries spirillum fever."
From The Romance of Elaine Sequel to "Exploits of Elaine" by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)
This definitely destroys the spirillum, and no further attacks of fever result; but this injection, once its work is done, does not confer immunity from other attacks.
From Sketches of the East Africa Campaign by Dolbey, Robert Valentine
The spirillum, volutans is often found in drinking water, and in common with some other specimens of this class is provided with flagellæ, sometimes at both extremities, which furnish the means of rapid locomotion.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 787, January 31, 1891 by Various
Then we have spiro-bacteria, the spirilla and the spirochetæ; the former having short open spirals, the latter long and closely wound spirals.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 787, January 31, 1891 by Various
They consist of cells, single or grouped, which when spherical are called cocci, when rod-shaped, bacilli, when spiral, spirilla.
From Essays In Pastoral Medicine by ?Malley, Austin
Examination of the blood prior to the invasion does not discover any spirilla.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
He asserts that examinations of the blood during such post-critical febrile rebounds invariably showed an absence of spirilla, so that in his opinion such fever must be considered non-specific.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
As early as 1873, spirilla were demonstrated in relapsing fever.
From The Evolution of Modern Medicine A Series of Lectures Delivered at Yale University on the Silliman Foundation in April, 1913 by Osler, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
