spore [Gk, sporos, seed] , 1. a reproductive unit of some genera of fungi or protozoa. 2. a form assumed by some bacteria that is resistant to heat, drying, and chemicals. Under proper environmental conditions the spore may revert to the actively multiplying form of the bacterium. Diseases caused by spore-forming bacteria include anthrax, botulism, gas gangrene, and tetanus.
