Definition

A serious and often deadly disease that affects cats, caused by a virus, leading to symptoms like fever, diarrhea, and a decrease in white blood cells.

Example

The veterinarian diagnosed the kitten with panleukopenia after observing its symptoms.

Conversation

Have you heard about panleukopenia affecting cats lately?

Yeah, it sounds really serious. My neighbor's cat got sick from it.

I read that it can be fatal if not treated quickly.

That's so sad! We need to make sure our pets are vaccinated.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Panleukopenia is formed from "pan-" (meaning all) and "leukopenia" (from Greek "leukos" meaning white and "penia" meaning deficiency). The term describes a condition characterized by a deficiency of all types of white blood cells.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pan-' meaning 'all' and 'leukopenia' referring to a 'deficiency of white blood cells' — together, they describe a condition where there is a deficiency of all white blood cells.

Visually Confused Words