Haematozzoa

/ˌhiːmətəˈzoʊə/ noun

Definition

A plural noun referring to parasitic animals or microorganisms that live in the blood.

Etymology

Greek haima (blood) + zōa (plural of zōon, animal). This taxonomic term became standard in parasitology and zoology for classifying blood-dwelling organisms.

Kelly Says

Haematozzoa includes everything from the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria to trypanosomes that cause sleeping sickness—some of history's most devastating killers were discovered to be these microscopic blood invaders.

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