leptospirosis

noun

lep·​to·​spi·​ro·​sis ˌlep-tə-spī-ˈrō-səs 

plural leptospiroses ˌlep-tə-spī-ˈrō-ˌsēz 

: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals that are caused by infection with leptospires

Examples of leptospirosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blood samples, ultrasound and other diagnoses found leptospirosis, a bacteria that attacks the kidneys and can be fatal. —Steven Rosenfeld, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025

People are encouraged to avoid raccoons in the wild as they are known to be defensive fighters and carry diseases, such as rabies, roundworm and leptospirosis. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 29 July 2025

Feral dogs can disseminate rabies or fleas, and rats can host a variety of pathogens that cause leptospirosis or hantavirus. —Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 July 2025

First of all, when coming into contact with wildlife, such dogs can catch diseases such as leptospirosis and rabies. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for leptospirosis

• amyloidosis
• anaplasmosis
• anastomosis
• aponeurosis
• apotheosis
• aspergillosis
• blastomycosis
• coccidiosis
• cryptococcosis
• cysticercosis
• endocytosis
• exocytosis

Medical Definition

leptospirosis

noun

lep·​to·​spi·​ro·​sis ˌlep-tə-spī-ˈrō-səs 

plural leptospiroses -ˌsēz 

: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals (as cattle and dogs) that are caused by infection with spirochetes of the genus Leptospira

called also lepto

see stuttgart disease, weil's disease