Microbiology Vocabulary

adjective relating to or caused by amoebas, a type of single-celled organism

• The patient was diagnosed with amebic dysentery after traveling to a tropical region.
• I heard that Sarah got sick from some amebic infection she picked up on her trip.
• I don't want to eat at that restaurant, I heard they have amebic food poisoning going around.
• The corrupt politician's influence spread like an amebic growth, infecting every aspect of the government.

noun a substance that is recognized by the immune system and triggers an immune response

• The antigen is a substance that triggers an immune response in the body.
• Hey, did you know that an antigen is like a red flag for your immune system?
• That antigen thing is like a little troublemaker for your body's defenses.
• Just like a spy, the antigen sneaks into the body and causes a commotion.

noun a substance that neutralizes the effects of a toxin

• The doctor administered antitoxin to the patient to counteract the effects of the venom.
• I heard they gave him some antitoxin to help with the snake bite.
• They hooked her up with some antitoxin after she got bit by that spider.
• Learning to forgive is like an emotional antitoxin that helps heal old wounds.

verb Attenuated is also a verb that means to make something weaker or less potent.

adjective Attenuated is an adjective that describes something that has been reduced in force, effect, or value.

• The medication attenuated the symptoms of the disease.
• Taking the medicine made me feel better.
• The pills toned down my sickness.
• Her enthusiasm was attenuated by the negative feedback she received.

verb to break down or rot; to decay

adjective having undergone decomposition; decayed

• The organic matter in the compost pile decomposed over time, turning into nutrient-rich soil.
• I left the fruit out for too long and now it's all decomposed and mushy.
• That old sandwich in my backpack has probably decomposed by now.
• The relationship between the two countries had decomposed beyond repair.

noun a state of being filled with or containing waste matter; impurity

adjective pertaining to or characteristic of waste matter; foul; dirty

• The scientist studied the feculence found in the water sample.
• Eww, there's feculence in the pond water!
• I can't believe the amount of feculence in that sewer.
• The corruption in the government was compared to the feculence in a polluted river.

noun the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi

• The study of fungi is known as mycology.
• I find mycology fascinating because I love studying mushrooms.
• I'm really into mycology - it's like a whole world of weird and wonderful fungi!
• Exploring the hidden world of fungi through mycology is like discovering a secret garden.

noun the condition of containing or being full of pus; the presence of pus in a bodily fluid

adjective relating to or characterized by the presence of pus

• The purulence of the wound indicated a serious infection that required immediate medical attention.
• The doctor said the purulence was a sign that the cut was infected.
• Eww, that's gross! The purulence coming out of the wound is nasty.
• The purulence of corruption within the company was finally exposed during the investigation.

adjective describing a relationship of mutual benefit or dependence between two organisms

• The relationship between the clownfish and the sea anemone is a classic example of a symbiotic partnership.
• The bees and the flowers have a symbiotic relationship where they both benefit from each other.
• Those two are like peanut butter and jelly, totally symbiotic.
• Their friendship was so strong, it was almost symbiotic in nature.

adjective describing a quality of being able to be passed from one person to another, typically referring to a disease or infection

• The virus is highly transmittable through respiratory droplets.
• Be careful, this cold is really transmittable.
• Watch out for that flu, it's super easy to catch.
• Her enthusiasm was so contagious, it was almost transmittable to everyone around her.

noun an infectious bacterial fever with an eruption of red spots on the chest and abdomen and severe intestinal irritation

• Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella typhi.
• My friend got really sick with typhoid fever after traveling to a foreign country.
• I heard that typhoid fever is no joke, you don't want to mess around with that.
• The spread of misinformation is like a typhoid fever infecting society, causing harm and chaos.

adjective not susceptible or responsive; immune or resistant to something

• The new vaccine has proven to be highly effective, making the population unsusceptible to the virus.
• I guess some people are just naturally unsusceptible to allergies.
• She's like totally unsusceptible to drama, it's amazing.
• His strong willpower made him unsusceptible to negative influences.

noun a microscopic organism, especially a protozoan or other simple animal

• Under the microscope, the scientist observed the movement of the tiny animalcules in the water sample.
• I can't believe how small those animalcules are! They're like little bugs swimming around.
• Those animalcules are so tiny, they're practically invisible!
• The gossip spread through the office like a swarm of animalcules, infecting everyone with curiosity.

noun an organism that lives in a symbiotic relationship with another organism

• The relationship between a host and a symbiont is often mutually beneficial.
• The fish and the cleaner shrimp are like best buddies, living together as symbionts.
• Those two are like total symbionts, always hanging out together.
• The partnership between the two companies was described as symbiotic, like a symbiont relationship in nature.

adjective describing a person or organism with a weakened immune system, making them more susceptible to infections

• It is important to take extra precautions around individuals who are immunocompromised.
• We need to be careful around people who have a weakened immune system.
• Gotta watch out for those with a compromised immune system.
• Being immunocompromised is like having a shield that's not as strong as it should be.

noun the diagnostic testing of blood serum

• Serology is the study of blood serum and other bodily fluids for diagnostic purposes.
• The doctor ordered a serology test to check for any infections.
• I heard serology is like CSI for doctors, they can find out so much from a little blood sample.
• In a way, serology is like a genetic fingerprint, revealing unique information about a person's health.

noun a stage in the life cycle of certain parasitic protozoans, such as trypanosomes, characterized by a long, slender, undulating membrane

• The amastigote stage is characterized by the parasite living and multiplying within host cells.
• I read that the amastigote is the stage where the parasite hides inside cells.
• Yo, did you know about that sneaky amastigote stage where the parasite chills inside cells?
• The amastigote stage can be seen as the parasite's cozy hideout within the host's cells.

noun an organism that cannot produce its own food and must instead obtain its nutrition from other sources

• A heterotroph is an organism that cannot produce its own food and relies on consuming other organisms for energy.
• My friend told me that humans are classified as heterotrophs because we need to eat plants and animals to survive.
• I heard that heterotrophs are the ultimate moochers in the animal kingdom, always relying on others for food.
• In a way, being a heterotroph is like being a perpetual guest at a dinner party, constantly relying on others to provide sustenance.

noun a collection of viruses present in a particular environment or host

• The study of the virome involves analyzing the genetic material of viruses present in a specific environment.
• I find it fascinating how diverse the virome can be in different ecosystems.
• Have you checked out the latest research on the virome? It's pretty mind-blowing stuff.
• Exploring the virome is like delving into a hidden world of microscopic organisms.

adjective A term used to describe something that is affected by an abscess, which is a swollen area within body tissue that contains pus.

• The patient was diagnosed with an abscessed tooth and prescribed antibiotics.
• My friend had to get a root canal because of an abscessed tooth.
• I can't believe how much pain I'm in from this abscessed tooth!
• The team's communication issues were like an abscessed wound, causing more problems the longer they were ignored.

adjective having a stacked or heaped arrangement; piled up in a heap

• The acervate collection of books in the library was meticulously organized by genre and author.
• I was impressed by the acervate pile of clothes she had neatly folded in her room.
• Dude, check out the acervate stack of snacks in the pantry - we're set for movie night!
• The acervate amount of evidence against him made it impossible for him to deny his involvement in the crime.

noun a type of bacteria that is beneficial to the human body, especially the digestive system

• Probiotic supplements often contain acidophilus, a type of beneficial bacteria.
• I take acidophilus capsules to help with my digestion.
• I heard that acidophilus is good for your gut health.
• In the garden of your body, acidophilus is like the friendly gardener keeping everything in balance.

noun a combining form meaning “ray,” “radiation,” used in the formation of compound words

• Actinomycosis is a rare bacterial infection that can affect the face, neck, or lungs.
• The doctors suspect that the patient may have actinomycosis based on their symptoms.
• I heard actino is going around, so make sure to wash your hands frequently.
• The actinolike movements of the dancers mesmerized the audience.

adjective relating to the study of rays or radiations

• The actinologous study focused on the effects of light on plant growth.
• I heard they're doing some actinologous research on how sunlight affects flowers.
• Did you catch that actinologous experiment on how different light sources impact photosynthesis?
• His actinologous approach to problem-solving shed light on new possibilities.

adjective relating to or caused by actinomycosis, a bacterial infection typically affecting the face and neck

• The patient was diagnosed with actinomycotic infection and was prescribed a course of antibiotics.
• I heard that Bob got some actinomycotic infection on his skin from working in the garden without gloves.
• My friend said she got some nasty actinomycotic thing on her foot after walking barefoot in the park.
• The actinomycotic spread of rumors throughout the office caused a lot of tension among coworkers.

noun a specialized fruiting body of certain rust fungi, containing a cluster of spores

• The aecia are specialized structures on certain rust fungi that produce aeciospores.
• The aecia are like little spore factories on the fungus.
• Those aecia things on the fungus are so weird looking.
• The aecia act like tiny factories producing spores for the fungus.

noun a specialized structure in certain fungi that produces and releases spores

• The aecium is a specialized structure in certain fungi that produces and releases spores.
• Have you ever seen an aecium in a mushroom before? It's pretty interesting!
• I heard that aecium is like the mushroom's party spot where all the spores hang out.
• The aecium can be compared to a factory that churns out tiny spores for dispersal.

noun a medical term referring to the process of removing or filtering air or particles from a space

• The study of aeroscepsis is crucial in understanding air quality control.
• Aeroscepsis is all about keeping the air clean and safe to breathe.
• I never realized how important aeroscepsis is until I learned about it in class.
• Practicing aeroscepsis in your life can help clear out the toxic elements and keep you healthy.