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Glite Dictionary
Leptospira

Leptospira

1 9.9
A very thin spiral-shaped germ that can live in water or cause disease in animals and people
  • noun
  • /ˌlɛp.təˈspaɪ.rə/
  • Specialized
: Leptospira
  • Leptospira can be found in fresh water sources contaminated by animal urine.

Examples

  • The bacterium Leptospira is responsible for leptospirosis, a serious illness that affects humans and animals alike.

  • Traces of Leptospira interrogans.

    Split Second (1992)

  • Other possible fever-causing agents for which we did not test include Leptospira spp., Rickettsia spp., Brucella spp., and viral agents of encephalitis (11, 15).

    Academic text (2013)

  • Many studies focus on the effects of Leptospira in agricultural settings, particularly among livestock.

Surface Forms

Leptospira singular
Leptospiras plural

Morphology

Leptospira = lepto + spira

The name is built from Greek combining forms meaning 'slender' and 'spiral', but these are not productive English morphemes for ordinary learners.

Etymology

Leptospira comes from Greek parts lepto- meaning 'thin' and -spira meaning 'coil' or 'spiral'. The name gives a simple image of a tiny, thin coil, which is why Leptospira is used for those slender, spiral-shaped bacteria.