WEEK 7-Epidemiology

Pathology

Branch of medical science that studies the causes, nature, and effects of diseases through the examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and bodies.

Epidemiology

Science that deals with the frequency and distribution of diseases and the factors that contribute to their spread.

Virulence of pathogens and susceptibility of the population (overcrowding, lack of immunization, poor nutrition, inadequate sanitation, and mode of transmission).

Factors Related to the Spread of Disease

Importance of Epidemiology

Serves as the foundation for public health and preventive medicine.

NOTE: It is the backbone of disease prevention.

Scope

Deals not only with infectious diseases but also with all other types of diseases.

Infectious Disease

Disease caused by a pathogen.

Ex. Tuberculosis

Communicable Disease

An infectious disease that can be transmitted from one person to another.

Ex. COVID-19.

Contagious Disease

A communicable disease that is easily transmitted.
Ex. Measles.

Zoonotic Disease

Infectious disease transmitted from animals to humans.

Ex. Rabies.

Incidence

Number of new cases of a disease in a population during a specific time period.

Prevalence

Total number of existing cases of a disease in a population at a given time.

Mortality Rate

Ratio of deaths due to a disease during a specific time period per population.

Ex. Number of people who died from COVID-19 in a city per year.

Morbidity Rate

Same as incidence rate — number of people affected by a particular disease in a given population.

Sporadic

Disease that occurs occasionally and irregularly in random locations.
Ex. Tetanus cases in different towns

Endemic

Disease that maintains a steady frequency over a long time in a specific geographic area.
Ex. Malaria in tropical regions. (palawan)

Epidemic

Also called an outbreak — a greater-than-usual number of cases in a particular region within a short period.

Ex. Dengue outbreak in a city.

Pandemic

A worldwide epidemic spreading across continents.
Ex. COVID-19 pandemic.

ESKAPE