spirochetostatic

English

Etymology

From spirochete +‎ -static (with -o-).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˌspaɪroʊˌkitəˈstætɪk/

Adjective

spirochetostatic (comparative more spirochetostatic, superlative most spirochetostatic)

1. (medicine, biology) Inhibiting (curbing) spirochetal populations although not destroying them.
   • 1944, Cedric C. Carpenter, “Failure of penicillin to prevent syphilis”, in United States Naval Medical Bulletin‎^[1], volume 43, number 2, pages 389–390:

     As the previously used chemotherapeutic agents have only proved themselves to be spirochetostatic and not spirochetocidal, the patient is liable to a delayed infection which may not become manifest for years.

Coordinate terms

• spirocheticidal (spirochetostatic is to spirocheticidal as bacteriostatic is to bacteriocidal)
• spirochetocidal
• spirochetolytic