falciparum
/falˈsɪpərəm
/(also falciparum malaria)
noun [mass noun]
The most severe form of malaria: [as modifier]: the falciparum parasite
- This is caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum.
- Individuals with normal and heterozygous genotypes are both infected by falciparum that causes malaria fever.
- Infections with Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent human malaria parasite, cause more than one million deaths per year.
Origin
1930s: modern Latin, from Latin falx, falc- 'sickle' + -parum (from -parus 'bearing').