How Do You Spell PENTASTOMA?

Pronunciation: [pˌɛntɐstˈə͡ʊmə] (IPA)

Pentastoma is a genus of parasitic worms that can infect mammals including humans. The spelling of Pentastoma is derived from the Greek words penta, meaning five, and stoma, meaning mouth. The pronunciation of Pentastoma is /pɛntəsˈtoʊmə/, where the first syllable is stressed, and the "a" at the end is pronounced with a schwa sound. The word is spelled with "penta" instead of "pent" because of the Greek prefix "penta-" which means five. The "stoma" in the name refers to the worm's mouth which has five lobes.

PENTASTOMA Meaning and Definition

1. Pentastoma is a noun that refers to a genus of parasitic worms that belong to the phylum Pentastomida. These organisms are commonly known as tongue worms due to their characteristic elongated and tongue-like appearance.

   Pentastoma worms are found as parasites in the respiratory tracts of various vertebrate animals, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. They have a complex life cycle that involves multiple hosts. The adult worms reside in the respiratory system of a definitive host, such as a snake or a dog, where they attach themselves using specialized hooks. They produce eggs that are released through the host's feces. If the eggs are ingested by an intermediate host, typically a small mammal or a bird, they develop into larvae that migrate to various organs, such as the liver or the lungs.

   In the intermediate host, the larvae continue to develop until they are ingested by a definitive host, completing the life cycle. Pentastomiasis is the medical term used to describe the infection caused by these parasites in humans. Although human infection is rare, it can occur through the consumption of undercooked or raw meat infected with the larvae. In humans, pentastomiasis usually presents as a localized granulomatous reaction and can require surgical intervention for removal.

   Overall, Pentastoma refers to a genus of parasitic worms that have a complex life cycle and can infect various vertebrate hosts, causing a disease known as pentastomiasis.

2. A genus of arthropods, usually now called Linguatula.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PENTASTOMA

• oentastoma
• lentastoma
• -entastoma
• 0entastoma
• pwntastoma
• psntastoma
• pdntastoma
• prntastoma
• p4ntastoma
• p3ntastoma
• pebtastoma
• pemtastoma
• pejtastoma
• pehtastoma
• penrastoma
• penfastoma
• pengastoma
• penyastoma
• pen6astoma
• pen5astoma

Etymology of PENTASTOMA

The word Pentastoma is derived from the Greek words penta meaning five and stoma meaning mouth. It refers to a genus of parasitic worms that have five toothed jaws surrounding their mouth, hence the name Pentastoma.