Definition

Noun: * Comma-shaped bacterium: A specific type of bacteria, characterized by its curved, comma-like shape, that is the causative agent of Asiatic cholera (also known as epidemic cholera).

Usage Notes

• This is a highly specific scientific and medical term. It is not used in everyday conversation.
• The term is often used in historical or technical contexts related to microbiology and infectious diseases.
• The modern taxonomic name for this bacterium is . "Vibrio comma" is an older, descriptive name based on its morphology.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The discovery of Vibrio comma by Robert Koch was a milestone in understanding the transmission of cholera.
  • Under the microscope, Vibrio comma appears as a short, curved rod.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be found in historical medical texts and research papers discussing the etiology (cause) of cholera.

Variants and Related Words

• Vibrio cholerae (n): The current, formal scientific name for the cholera bacterium.
• Vibrio (n): The genus of Gram-negative bacteria to which belongs, many of which are curved and found in aquatic environments.
• Cholera bacillus (n): Another historical term for the bacterium.

Synonyms

• (scientific synonym)
• Cholera bacterium
• Cholera vibrio (less common)

Notes on Different Meanings

• This term has only one specific meaning in English: it refers exclusively to the bacterium that causes cholera. It is not related to the punctuation mark "comma."

Noun

1. comma-shaped bacteria that cause Asiatic cholera