pyrogen

[ pahy-ruh-juh n, -jen ]
/ ˈpaɪ rə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn /

noun

a substance, as a thermostable bacterial toxin, that produces a rise in temperature in a human or animal.

Origin of pyrogen

First recorded in 1855–60; pyro- + -gen

Words nearby pyrogen

pyrocrystalline, pyroelectric, pyroelectricity, pyrogallate, pyrogallol, pyrogen, pyrogenic, pyrogenous, pyroglobulin, pyrognostics, pyrograph

Example sentences from the Web for pyrogen

British Dictionary definitions for pyrogen

pyrogen
/ (ˈpaɪrəʊˌdʒɛn) /

noun

any of a group of substances that cause a rise in temperature in an animal body

Medical definitions for pyrogen

pyrogen
[ pī′rə-jən ]

n.

A substance that produces a fever.

Scientific definitions for pyrogen

pyrogen
[ pī′rə-jən ]

A polypeptide that produces fever by causing metabolic changes in the hypothalamus. Pyrogens are either exogenous (produced by infectious agents) or endogenous (produced by cells in the body such as macrophages).