tuberculize

tuberculize

A doctor explains how to prevent tuberculize infection.

Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):
    • To infect with tuberculosis: "tuberculize" means to cause an individual or organism to become infected with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which leads to the disease tuberculosis (TB).
    • To cause tubercular lesions: In a medical or pathological context, it refers to the process of inducing the formation of tubercles (small nodular lesions) characteristic of tuberculosis in tissues or organs.
Usage Examples
  • (To infect the animals with tuberculosis for research purposes.)
  • (To cause infection with tuberculosis through airborne transmission.)
  • (To cause tubercular lesions in lymphatic tissue.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to tuberculize a culture": In microbiology, to deliberately introduce Mycobacterium tuberculosis into a culture medium to grow the bacteria for study.

    • The researchers used a sterile technique to tuberculize the agar plates. (To inoculate the culture with TB bacteria.)

  • "tuberculized tissue": Describing tissue that has been affected by tubercular infection.

    • The biopsy revealed tuberculized tissue in the patient's lung. (Tissue showing signs of tuberculosis infection.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Tuberculization (noun): the process or result of infecting with tuberculosis.

    • The tuberculization of the population was a major public health concern in the 19th century. (The widespread infection with TB.)

  • Tuberculous (adjective): relating to or affected by tuberculosis.

    • The patient had tuberculous lesions on the chest X-ray. (Lesions caused by TB.)

  • Tuberculin (noun): a protein extract from Mycobacterium tuberculosis used in diagnostic tests.

    • The tuberculin skin test can indicate prior exposure to TB. (A test for TB infection.)
Synonyms
  • Infect with TB: to cause tuberculosis infection.
  • Contaminate with tuberculosis: to introduce the TB pathogen.
  • Tubercularize: a less common variant meaning the same thing.
Phrasal Verbs
  • Tuberculize over: to spread TB infection across a surface or area.
    • The bacteria can tuberculize over the lung tissue if left untreated. (To cover with tubercular lesions.)
Related Idioms
  • None commonly associated; the word is highly technical and medical.