Plasmodium

Translingual

Human red blood cells, some infected with the species Plasmodium falciparum, that causes one of the most important forms of malaria. The "signet ring" form visible in some of the cells is typical of several species of malarial parasites in the trophozoite stage.

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin plasma + Late Latin -odium.

Proper noun

Plasmodium n

  1. A taxonomic genus within the family Plasmodiidae. When properly capitalised, Plasmodium is a genus that includes several species of parasitic protozoa, including those that cause malaria in humans. In lower case, plasmodium is a technical term for multiple cells of certain organisms combined into a single mass of protoplasm.
    • In the young forms of the parasite (Plasmodium malariae), the protoplasmic ring is broader at one point of its periphery than the remainder, giving to it a characteristic “signet-ring” appearance...[1]

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

References

  1. ↑ Henson, Graham E. Malaria, Etiology, Pathology, Diagnosis, Prophylaxis and Treatment. Pub: London: Henry Kimpton 1913

Further reading

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