How Do You Spell COXIELLA?

1. Coxiella is a noun that refers to a genus of bacteria belonging to the family Coxiellaceae within the order Legionellales. It is named after Dr. Harold T. Cox, an American military physician who first isolated the bacterium in 1937. Coxiella is a small, Gram-negative bacterium that is characterized by its obligate intracellular lifestyle, meaning it requires a host cell to replicate and survive.

   The most well-known species within the genus is Coxiella burnetii, which is the causative agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease that primarily affects animals but can also be transmitted to humans. This species can be found worldwide and infects a wide range of hosts, including mammals, birds, and arthropods.

   Coxiella bacteria are highly resistant to environmental conditions and are able to form a dormant, highly resistant form called a spore-like structure, allowing them to survive in harsh environments outside a host for extended periods. This resilience contributes to the long-term survival of Coxiella in the environment and its ability to cause recurring outbreaks when favorable conditions for transmission occur.

   In humans, infection with Coxiella is typically acquired through inhalation of contaminated aerosols or through direct contact with infected animals, particularly livestock. The symptoms of Q fever can vary widely, ranging from flu-like symptoms to severe, life-threatening complications such as pneumonia and hepatitis.

   In summary, Coxiella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria, with Coxiella burnetii being the most prominent species, known for causing Q fever, a zoonotic disease that affects both humans and animals.

Common Misspellings for COXIELLA

The word "Coxiella" has its origin in Latin. It is derived from the Latin word "coxa" which means "hip joint". The suffix "-ella" is a diminutive suffix in Latin, used to create a diminutive form of the word. Therefore, "Coxiella" can be interpreted as a diminutive form of "coxa", meaning "little hip joint". This name was given to the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which was discovered in the 1930s and initially isolated from the tissues of ticks. The bacterium is named after Australian physician and virologist Dr. Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who made significant contributions to the study and understanding of Coxiella burnetii.

Similar spelling words for COXIELLA