Gonococcicide is a term used to describe a substance that kills the bacterium responsible for causing gonorrhea. The word is spelled as /ɡəˌnɒkəˈsaɪsaɪd/, with stress on the second syllable. The "g" at the beginning of the word is pronounced as a soft "g". The phonetic transcription shows that the "cocc" in the middle of the word is pronounced like "kok", with stress on the first syllable. The word may be difficult to spell or pronounce for those who are not familiar with medical terminology.
Gonococcicide refers to a substance or treatment that is specifically designed to kill or inhibit the growth of the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is responsible for causing the sexually transmitted infection known as gonorrhea. The term "gonococcicide" is derived from the combination of "gonococcus" (referring to the bacteria) and "cide" (meaning to kill).
The primary goal of using a gonococcicide is to eradicate the pathogenic organism, thereby effectively treating the infection. These substances can be administered in different forms, such as antibiotics, antiseptics, or drugs specifically developed to target the N. gonorrhoeae bacteria. The efficacy of gonococcicides is determined by their ability to destroy or inhibit the growth of the bacteria, preventing further reproduction and spread of the infection.
The development of gonococcicides is crucial in combating gonorrhea, as the bacteria that causes the infection has shown increasing resistance to multiple antibiotics over time. Thus, finding effective gonococcicides is an ongoing research priority to address the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.
It is important to note that the usage of gonococcicides should be under the guidance of healthcare professionals. Proper diagnosis and identification of the specific strain of N. gonorrhoeae are necessary to determine the most appropriate treatment options and to minimize the risk of further complications or antibiotic resistance.
Gonocide. 1. Destructive to gonococci. 2. An agent which kills the gonococcus.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "gonococcicide" is a compound noun derived from three elements: "gonococcus", "cide", and "-icide".
1. "Gonococcus" refers to the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is responsible for causing the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. The term "gonococcus" was coined by Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser, a German physician and bacteriologist, in 1879. It combines "gono-" from the Greek word "gonu" meaning "seed" or "descendant" and "-coccus" from the Greek word "kokkos" meaning "berry", referring to the bacteria's berry-like appearance under the microscope.
2. The suffix "-cide" comes from the Latin word "cida", meaning "killer" or "cause of death". It is commonly used to denote an agent or substance that destroys or kills something.