Bio205 Epidemiology

Front 1

epidemiology

Back 1

study of factors & mechanisms in the spread of dieases in a population

Front 2

incidence

Back 2

# new cases at a specific time

Front 3

prevalence

Back 3

# existing cases at a specific time

Front 4

morbidity

Back 4

# cases as a proportion of population

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mortality rate

Back 5

# deaths as a proportion of a population

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Sporadic (define)

Back 6

several isolated cases occur in a random & unpredictable fashion.

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Sporadic (example)

Back 7

Eastern Equine Encephalitis

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Endemic (define)

Back 8

disease present continually in the population of a given area but the number and severity of cases is too low to constitute a public health concern.

Front 9

Endemic (example)

Back 9

Chickenpox

Front 10

Epidemic (define)

Back 10

sudden rise in incidence to higher than normal rates.

Front 11

Epidemic (example)

Back 11

West Nile, diphtheria rise with break up of SU

Front 12

Pandemic (define)

Back 12

epidemic spreads world wide

Front 13

Pandemic (example)

Back 13

1918 swine flu, cholera

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Common Source Outbreak (define)

Back 14

arises from contact with contaminated substances

Front 15

Common Source Outbreak (example)

Back 15

1854 London England: John Snow traces cholera source to single pump handle
Improperly handled food
Water supply contamination

Front 16

Propagated Epidemic (define)

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arises from direct person-to-person contact

Front 17

Common Source v Propagated

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Incidence rises faster in common source, pathogen more difficult to eliminate in propagated

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Descriptive Study

Back 18

physical aspects of existing disease & its spread
# cases
affected population segments (age, gender, race, marital status, socioeconomic status, occupation)
locations & time periods of cases

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Index Case

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First case to be identified

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Analytical Study

Back 20

establishing causal relationships in disease occurrence

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Analytical Retrospective

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takes into account factors preceding epidemic

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Control Group

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Individuals in same population unaffected by disease

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Analytical Prospective

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considers factors that occur as epidemic spreads

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Experimental Study

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designs experiments to test hypothesis

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Placebo

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nonmedicinal substance that works via belief rather than physical affect

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Carriers

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Individual who harbor infectious agent without having observable signs or symptoms

Front 27

Reservoirs of Infection (define)

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sites in which organisms can persist and maintain infective ability

Front 28

Reservoirs (example)

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other humans, other animals, insects, plants, water, soil

Front 29

Subclinical Infection

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aka Inapparent
signs & symptoms too mild to be recognized

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Signs

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concrete physical changes that are measureable and observable

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Symptoms

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can be reported only by patient, e.g. pain

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Chronic carrier

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reservoir for a long time after recovery

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Intermittent carrier

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periodically releases infectious organisms

Front 34

Zoonoses

Back 34

diseases that can be transmitted to humans from other vertebrates
e.g. Rabies

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Nonliving Reservoirs

Back 35

soil: Clostridium tetani, C. botulinum
water
Either tends to be the result of fecal contamination, poorly cooked contaminated food