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

Between 100 and 200 people in the U.S. get leptospirosis every year.1 Vibrio is another bacterium that resides in both saltwater and brackish water, where freshwater mixes with seawater, Pritt said. —Julia Ries, Health, 17 June 2025

New York isn't the only city plagued by leptospirosis cases. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 17 Apr. 2024

Another crucial part of chicken care is ensuring their living area is free of rats, which can carry many diseases including hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Tularemia, and Salmonella. —Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

Some of these can be severe, such as leptospirosis, also called Weil’s disease, which can cause kidney and liver damage and even death without treatment. —Laura Paddison, CNN, 31 Jan. 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