Aspergillus fumigatus
1
7.8
- noun
- Specialized
- The doctor diagnosed the patient with an infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.
Examples
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Many patients with weakened immune systems are susceptible to Aspergillus fumigatus infections.
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Wild birds are especially susceptible to respiratory diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.
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Aspergillus fumigatus is commonly found in decaying organic matter, such as compost heaps.
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Aspergillus fumigatus is commonly found in decaying vegetation.
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The doctor diagnosed the patient with an infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.
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Wild birds are especially susceptible to respiratory diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.
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Many patients with weakened immune systems are susceptible to Aspergillus fumigatus infections.
Synonyms
3
9.5
A common mold that grows on damp things like food and walls and can cause illness in people and plants
Surface Forms
Morphology
Aspergillus + fumigatus
This is a binomial scientific name: 'Aspergillus' is a mold genus and the second element functions as a species epithet, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it denotes a particular species of Aspergillus (a mold). While the Latin epithet 'fumigatus' may not convey additional everyday meaning, the genus+epithet composition transparently signals a species name.
Etymology
Aspergillus fumigatus gets its name from words that describe how the mold looks. The first part, Aspergillus, was named after a small 'holy-water sprinkler' because the mold's tiny stalks look like one, and the second part, fumigatus, means 'smoky' for its grey-green colour, so the whole name describes this mold species that can cause infection.