balantidiasis
|ba-lan-ti-di-a-sis|
/ˌbælənˌtɪˈdaɪəsɪs/
disease caused by Balantidium coli
Etymology
'balantidiasis' originates from New Latin, combining the genus name 'Balantidium' and the Greek-derived suffix '-iasis' meaning 'disease'.
'balantidiasis' was formed by attaching the Greek medical suffix '-iasis' (used to denote diseases) to the genus name 'Balantidium' (the organism responsible), and entered English usage as the name of the disease.
Initially used to denote disease caused by organisms of the genus 'Balantidium'; over time the term has retained this specific medical meaning referring to infection by Balantidium coli.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an intestinal infection (especially of the large intestine) caused by the ciliate protozoan Balantidium coli; a zoonotic parasitic disease that can produce diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes dysentery.
The patient was diagnosed with balantidiasis after stool examination revealed Balantidium coli.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/04 06:32