Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

232 results found

diphtheria

(Encyclopedia)diphtheria dĭfthērˈēə [key], acute contagious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Klebs-Loffler bacillus) bacteria that have been infected by a bacteriophage. It begins as a soreness o...

symbiosis

(Encyclopedia)symbiosis sĭmbēōˈsĭs [key], the habitual living together of organisms of different species. The term is usually restricted to a dependent relationship that is beneficial to both participants (als...

sulfa drug

(Encyclopedia)sulfa drug, any of a class of synthetic chemical substances derived from sulfanilamide, or para-aminobenzenesulfonamide. Sulfa drugs are used to treat bacterial infections, although they have largely ...

vinegar

(Encyclopedia)vinegar, sour liquid consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, produced by the action of bacteria on dilute solutions of ethyl alcohol derived from previous yeast fermentation. The coloring and flav...

virology

(Encyclopedia)virology, study of viruses and their role in disease. Many viruses, such as animal RNA viruses and viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages, have become useful laboratory tools in genetic studi...

fermented milk

(Encyclopedia)fermented milk, whole or skim milk curdled to beverage or custardlike consistency by lactic-acid-producing microorganisms. Many forms of fermented milk were used by early nomadic herders, especially i...

Smith, Hamilton Othanel

(Encyclopedia)Smith, Hamilton Othanel, 1931–, American biologist, b. New York City, M.D. Johns Hopkins, 1956. A professor at the Univ. of Michigan and Johns Hopkins, Smith worked with Daniel Nathans and Werner Ar...

dysentery

(Encyclopedia)dysentery dĭsˈəntĕrˌē [key], inflammation of the intestine characterized by the frequent passage of feces, usually with blood and mucus. The two most common causes of dysentery are infection wit...

infection

(Encyclopedia)infection, invasion of plant or animal tissues by microorganisms, i.e., bacteria, viruses, viroids, fungi, rickettsias, and protozoans. The invasion of body tissues by parasitic worms and other higher...

rickettsia

(Encyclopedia)rickettsia rĭkĕtˈsēə [key], any of an order (Rickettsiales) of very small microorganisms, many disease-causing, that live in vertebrates and are transmitted by bloodsucking parasitic arthropods s...