piroplasma

English

A typical piroplasma: pear-shaped cells of a Babesia species infecting the blood cells of a horse

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin pirum (pear) + Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plásma, image, formation).

Noun

piroplasma (plural piroplasmas or piroplasmata)

  1. (epidemiology, microbiology) Babesia, a genus of hematozoa that invades the red blood cells of humans and domesticated animals such as dogs and sheep
    • 1895, Entomological Pamphlets: Slingerland Collection.:
      It has been known for some years past that Piroplasma in the digestive tube of an adult female tick can give rise to infection in the offspring of that female, so that one generation of ticks can acquire the parasites from cattle, and the next generation can transmit the disease to other cattle
  2. Any of many other parasitic protozoa related to Babesia in order Piroplasmida

References

  1. Votýpka, Jan. 2011. Piroplasmorida Wenyon 1926. Version 18 May 2011 (under construction). in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

Further reading

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