Definition

A tiny organism that lives in the intestines of animals and humans, which can cause severe diarrhea, especially in people with weak immune systems.

Example

Cryptosporidium can be found in contaminated water and can lead to serious health issues.

Conversation

Have you heard about cryptosporidium?

Yeah, isn't it that parasite that can cause diarrhea?

Exactly! It's especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems.

That's really concerning; we should be careful about water quality.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cryptosporidium is formed from "crypto-" (from Greek "kryptos", meaning hidden) and "sporidium" (from Greek "spora", meaning seed or spore). The word refers to a hidden spore, which is characteristic of this genus of parasites that can cause gastrointestinal illness.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hidden' ('crypto-') spores ('sporidium') that can cause illness — this helps you remember that cryptosporidium refers to a hidden parasite.

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