Tiny rod-shaped organism (8)

I believe the answer is:

bacillus

(Other definitions for bacillus that I've seen before include "Type of bacterium" , "Rod-like bacterium found in lilac bus" , "Disease-causing organism" , "Single-cell organism, can cause illness" , "CIA bulls, oddly, have a kind of germ" .)

I've seen this clue in The New York Times.

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