oocyst

[oh-uh-sist]

noun

Biology.

1. the encysted zygotic stage in the life cycle of some sporozoans.

oocyst

/ ˈəʊəˌsɪst /

noun

1. an encysted zygote of sporozoan protozoans that undergoes sporogony to produce infective sporozoites

Word History and Origins

Origin of oocyst¹

First recorded in 1870–75; oo- + -cyst

Example Sentences

When a host—humans included—consumes an oocyst, the spores are released and spread into the brain and muscles, forming new cysts.

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Only in the feline gut can it reproduce sexually and assume a hardy, infectious form called an oocyst, which gets excreted to infect more animals.

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Accidental ingestion or inhalation of an oocyst causes infection, and a growing body of evidence consistently points to widespread environmental contamination with T. gondii from free-roaming cats.

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It lurks in a protected form called an oocyst.

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When a swimmer swallows the oocyst, the parasite pops out and squirms into the cells lining his or her gut, where it multiplies.

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