brucella

noun bru·cel·la \ brü-ˈse-lə \

Definition of brucella

plural brucellae play \-ˈse-(ˌ)lē\ or brucellas

: any of a genus (Brucella) of nonmotile pleomorphic bacteria that cause disease in humans and domestic animals

Origin and Etymology of brucella

New Latin, from Sir David Bruce

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First Known Use: 1930

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

brucella

noun bru·cel·la \ brü-ˈsel-ə \

medical Definition of brucella

1 capitalized : a genus of nonmotile capsulated bacteria of the family Brucellaceae that cause disease in humans and domestic animals

2 plural brucellae play \-ˈsel-(ˌ)ē\ or brucellas : any bacterium of the genus Brucella

Biographical Note for brucella

Bruce play \ˈbrüs\, Sir David (1855–1931), British bacteriologist. While on the island of Malta in 1886, Bruce discovered the bacterial cause of undulant or Malta fever; he reported his findings the following year. He called the causal organism Micrococcus melitensis but in 1920 the genus was renamed Brucella in his honor. Also, the disease caused by bacteria of this genus is now usually known as brucellosis. Bruce later did extensive research on trypanosomiasis. In 1894 he investigated nagana in Zululand, and in 1903 he started his investigation of sleeping sickness in Uganda.