Blastomycete - Blindness

blastomycete

(blăs″tō-mī′sēt) Any organism of the genus Blastomyces.

blastomycosis

(blas″tō-mī-kō′sĭs) [blasto- + mycosis] A rare fungal infection caused by inhalation of the conidia of Blastomyces dermatitidis. This infection may produce inflammatory lesions of the skin (cutaneous form) or lungs or a generalized invasion of the skin, lungs, bones, central nervous system, kidneys, liver, and spleen. SYN: North American b.

 TREATMENT: Treatment consists of amphotericin B, given intravenously, followed by oral itraconazole.

 North American b. Blastomycosis.

 South American b. Paracoccidioidomycosis.

blastopore

(blas′tŏ-por″) [blasto- + pore] In mammalian embryos, the small opening into the archenteron made by invagination of the blastula.

blastospore

(blăs′tō-spor) [″ + sporos, seed] A spore formed by budding from a hypha, as in yeast.

blastula

(blas′chŭ-lă, blas′chŭ-lē″) pl. blastulae An early stage in the development of a zygote into an embryo, consisting of a hollow sphere of cells enclosing the blastocoel. SEE: blastocoel; zygote.

Blatella

(blă-tel′ă) [L. diminutive of blatta, any of several insects that shun light] A genus of cockroaches (family Blattidae). SEE: cockroach.

 B. germanica SEE: German cockroach.

Blatta

(blat′ă) [L. blatta, cockroach] A genus of cockroaches (family Blattidae). SEE: cockroach.

 B. orientalis SEE: oriental cockroach.

bleat

A cyclic variation in vocal tone that resembles the ba-a-a-ah sound made by sheep.

bleb

(blĕb) An irregularly shaped elevation of the epidermis; a blister or a bulla. Blebs may vary in size from less than 1 cm to as much as 5 to 10 cm; they may contain serous, seropurulent, or bloody fluid. Blebs are a primary skin lesion that may occur in many disorders, including dermatitis herpetiformis, pemphigus, and syphilis. SEE: bulla.

bleeder

(blēd′ĕr) [AS. bledan, to bleed] 1. A colloquial term for one whose ability to coagulate blood is either deficient or absent, so that small cuts and injuries lead to prolonged bleeding. SEE: hemophilia. 2. A colloquial term for a small artery that has been cut or torn.

bleeding

(blēd′ing) 1. The emission of blood, as from an injured vessel. 2. The process of emitting blood, as during hemorrhage or in the procedure of blood letting.

 Normally, when blood is exposed to air, it changes to allow fibrin to form. This entangles the cells and forms a blood clot. SEE: blood coagulation coagulation factor hemorrhage.

 abnormal uterine b. Dysfunctional uterine b.