MALLEINIZATION Meaning and
Definition
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Malleinization is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat an infectious disease known as glanders, primarily found in horses, but can also affect other animals and humans. The word derives from "mallein," a bacterial extract used in this procedure.
In the diagnostic context, malleinization refers to the application of mallein to a healthy horse's skin or conjunctiva to assess if it develops an immunological response indicative of prior exposure to glanders. This procedure helps identify the presence of antibodies, indicating infection. A positive reaction to mallein can suggest the presence of glanders, especially if the animal displays specific clinical symptoms such as nasal discharge, fever, and respiratory abnormalities.
In the treatment context, malleinization involves the administration of a weakened form of the glanders-causing bacteria called attenuated mallein or "mallein vaccine." This vaccine stimulates the horse's immune system to produce antibodies, helping it fight against the disease or reducing its severity if infection occurs. Malleinization can be used prophylactically to prevent infection or therapeutically to aid in recovery.
Due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, malleinization should be carried out under strict veterinary supervision and appropriate biosecurity measures. The procedure is primarily used in veterinary medicine, particularly in regions where glanders is prevalent, to diagnose and control the spread of this infectious disease.
Common Misspellings for MALLEINIZATION
- malleiniasation
- malleanisation
- nalleinization
- kalleinization
- jalleinization
- mzlleinization
- mslleinization
- mwlleinization
- mqlleinization
- makleinization
- mapleinization
- maoleinization
- malkeinization
- malpeinization
- maloeinization
- mallwinization
- mallsinization
- malldinization
- mallrinization
- mall4inization
Etymology of MALLEINIZATION
The word "malleinization" is derived from the noun "mallein", which is an obsolete term for an extract of the bacterium Burkholderia mallei, formerly known as Pseudomonas mallei. Burkholderia mallei is the causative agent of the disease glanders in horses, mules, and donkeys.
The term "mallein" was coined by Friedrich August Johannes Löffler, a German bacteriologist, in the late 19th century. The word "mallein" is thought to be derived from the Latin word "mallis", meaning "a bag" or "a pouch", because glanders typically affects the respiratory system and causes swollen lymph nodes, creating a bag-like appearance.
