How to Pronounce Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Pronunciation
mul-tee-DRUG reh-ZIS-tent too-BER-kyoo-LOH-sis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
mul
tee
DRUG reh
ZIS
stress here
tent too
BER
stress here
kyoo
LOH
stress here
sis
9 syllables
What is Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis?
A form of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains that are resistant to at least the two most powerful first-line anti-TB drugs (isoniazid and rifampicin). MDR-TB requires treatment with more expensive, more toxic second-line drugs for 18–24 months and is a major global public health threat.
Questions About Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis
How do you pronounce 'multidrug-resistant tuberculosis'?
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Say it like this: mul-tee-DRUG reh-ZIS-tent too-BER-kyoo-LOH-sis. The stress (loudest part) falls on the word DRUG in the first half and on the LOH in the second half. When you say it, these syllables should stand out more than the others around them.
Which syllable gets the most stress in this term?
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The word DRUG carries the main stress in 'multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.' Many people mistakenly stress the wrong syllable, so remember to say mul-tee-DRUG loudly and clearly, and then finish the rest more softly.
What does 'multidrug-resistant' mean in plain English?
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Multi-drug-resistant means something doesn't respond to many different medicines. In this case, the tuberculosis bacteria are resistant to (not killed by) several of the standard drugs used to fight TB. Think of it like the bacteria have built up defenses against multiple weapons.
What does the word 'tuberculosis' mean?
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Tuberculosis (or TB for short) comes from the Latin word 'tuberculum,' which means a small lump or bump. The disease got this name because it causes small bumps or nodules in the lungs and other parts of the body.
What is the short form or abbreviation for this condition?
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The abbreviation is MDR-TB, which stands for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis. You say it out loud as 'em-dee-ar T-B' (spelling out each letter). You'll often hear healthcare workers use MDR-TB as a shorthand in conversation.
How do you break 'multidrug-resistant tuberculosis' into syllables?
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Here's how it breaks down: mul-ti-drug re-sis-tant tu-ber-cu-lo-sis. Notice there's a hyphen between multidrug and resistant—this shows that those two words are used together as a compound term. The hyphen helps you see that they work as a pair to describe one specific type of TB.
What does the prefix 'multi-' mean?
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'Multi-' comes from Latin and means 'many.' So 'multidrug' literally means 'many drugs.' This prefix appears in lots of medical words like 'multiplex' (many ways) or 'multisite' (many locations).
Can you use this word in a simple sentence?
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Here's an example: 'The hospital's infection control team was trained to recognize cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.' This sentence shows how the term might appear in healthcare settings or medical conversations.