How Do You Spell BACILLUS ABORTUS?

1. Bacillus abortus is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that belongs to the genus Bacillus. It is a facultative anaerobe, meaning it can survive in both the presence and absence of oxygen.

   Bacillus abortus is primarily known for its role as a causative agent of abortions in animals, particularly cattle. It is responsible for causing a disease known as brucellosis, which results in reproductive failure, including abortions, stillbirths, and infertility. This bacterium has a predilection for infecting the placenta and uterine tissues, leading to significant economic losses in the livestock industry.

   The pathogenesis of Bacillus abortus involves its ability to evade the host's immune system and establish chronic infections. It attaches to specialized cells in the reproductive tract, including the trophoblasts, thereby gaining entry into the bloodstream and subsequently disseminating to various organs. This bacterium has developed multiple mechanisms to survive within the host, such as inhibiting phagocytosis, modulating the host's immune response, and residing in host cells as intracellular parasites.

   In addition to its veterinary significance, Bacillus abortus can also be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals, consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, or occupational exposure. In humans, it causes a systemic infection called brucellosis, characterized by flu-like symptoms, recurring fever, and joint pain. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with appropriate antibiotics are crucial to prevent complications and the chronic form of the disease.

2. Bang's bacillus, the pathogenic microorganism of infectious abortion, a disease occurring in cows and occasionally in women.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for BACILLUS ABORTUS

The word "Bacillus abortus" has a Latin etymology.

The term "Bacillus" comes from the Latin word "bacillum", meaning "small rod". It is a reference to the rod-shaped appearance of bacteria under a microscope. The word was first used by German botanist Ferdinand Cohn in 1872.

The term "abortus" is a Latin word that means "miscarriage". It is derived from the verb "abortex", meaning "to miscarry" or "to cause an untimely birth".

Therefore, "Bacillus abortus" can be translated as "rod-shaped bacteria that cause miscarriage". It is the name of a bacterial species that causes infectious abortion in cattle, also known as Brucella abortus.