Mycobacterium ulcerans

1 9.9

A kind of bacteria that lives in water and causes a long lasting skin sore called Buruli ulcer

noun
/ˌmaɪkoʊbækˈtɪəriəm ˌʌlˈsɛrənz/

Specialized

: Mycobacterium ulcerans

Infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans can lead to severe skin ulcers if not treated promptly.

Examples

The spread of Mycobacterium ulcerans is often linked to contact with contaminated water in rural areas.
Researchers discovered Mycobacterium ulcerans in water samples collected from a tropical wetland.
The Mycobacterium ulcerans bacterium is known for causing Buruli ulcer.
Researchers are studying Mycobacterium ulcerans to understand its effects on humans.
Researchers discovered Mycobacterium ulcerans in water samples collected from a tropical wetland.
Infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans can lead to severe skin ulcers if not treated promptly.
The spread of Mycobacterium ulcerans is often linked to contact with contaminated water in rural areas.

Surface Forms

Mycobacterium ulcerans singular

Mycobacterium ulcerans plural

Morphology

mycobacterium + ulcerans

This is a scientific binomial combining the genus name 'Mycobacterium' (a bacterium) with the species epithet 'ulcerans', which etymologically signals an association with ulcers. A learner who recognises 'mycobacterium' and the root 'ulcer' could infer that it is a bacterium related to ulcers, but the Latin-form epithet and biomedical naming conventions make the meaning only partially predictable for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Mycobacterium ulcerans is a scientific name that tells a simple story: Mycobacterium was used for bacteria that looked a bit like fungus, and ulcerans means 'causing ulcers', so the name points to a water bacterium that makes skin sores.