Spelling Preferences

British versus American Spelling

Change British spelling to American.

ameba, amebae, not amoeba, amoebae

analog, not analogue

analyze, not analyse

anesthesia, not anaesthesia

color, not colour

estradiol, not oestradiol

homolog, not homologue

orthopedics, not orthopaedics

titer, not titre

Exceptions: aerobic, anaerobic, proper names (The XYZ Programme, S. faecalis, N. gonorrhoeae)

Use the US adopted name rather than the international nonproprietary name for drugs.

rifampin, not rifampicin
acetaminophen, not paracetamol

Other Spelling Preferences

See also Hyphens and Other Capitalization Preferences.

acknowledgment

Beijing/W genotype

Cameroon not Cameroun

Côte d’Ivoire not Ivory Coast

Dhaka not Dacca

Escherichia coli O157 (use the letter O)

extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

helminthic not helmintic

hemorrhage

inoculation

judgment not judgement

leukocyte not leucocyte

mucus (n), mucous (adj)

multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB)

occurred, occurrence

omit, omitted

precede

proceed

protozoon (n, s), protozoa (n, pl) protozoan (adj)

repellent

Réunion Island, but Reunion (state)

Robert Koch Institute (not Koch-Institute)

supernatant not supernate

typeable not typable

villus (n), villous (adj)

Additional Information:

Abbreviations
Capitalization
Dates
Geographic Designations
Preferred Usage
Punctuation
Scientific Nomenclature
Grammar

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