Week 21 Dr. Alex Morel Applied Ecology: Disease Epidemiology

A comprehensive set of 70 vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on disease epidemiology in applied ecology.

Four agents of population suppression

Competition, Predation, Herbivory, Disease.

Host population categories

Divided into susceptible (S), infected (I), and recovered/immune (R) individuals.

S

Susceptible individuals in a population.

I

Infected individuals in a population.

R

Recovered and immune individuals in a population.

gamma (γ)

Recovery rate of infected individuals.

beta (β)

Transmission coefficient, defined as contact rate multiplied by transmission probability.

R0

Basic reproductive number representing the density of infected individuals.

Epidemic curve

Graph representing the number of new cases over time.

Seroprevalence

Percentage of individuals in a population with antibodies to a particular disease.

Critical threshold

Minimum host population size needed for disease to persist.

Culling decisions

Actions taken to reduce population sizes to manage disease spread based on thresholds.

Brucellosis

Bacterial disease prevalent in cattle, known for causing contagious abortion.

Transmission coefficient (β) estimation

Determined empirically by analyzing mortality or case rise rates.

Contact rate (c)

Maximum interaction potential between individuals at certain population densities.

Legionnaires disease outbreak

World's largest outbreak with over 800 suspected cases; confirmed cases were 449.

Avian influenza

Bird flu caused by viruses that can recombine in intermediate hosts like pigs.

2009 Swine Flu Pandemic

Pandemic caused by H1N1 virus with significant global mortality.

Public health emergency

Declared by WHO when disease incidence rises dramatically.

Vaccination impact

Role of vaccines in reducing disease incidence and prevalence.

Ecological effects of disease

Diseases reducing population growth rates and affecting geographic ranges.

Example of chestnut blight

Fungal pathogen that reduced the geographic range of the American chestnut.

Phocine distemper virus

Virus affecting harbour seals, causing significant mortality.

Morbidity data

Statistics on disease incidence and population health impacts.

Harp seal

Species affected by diseases that cause population dynamics shifts.

Climate change impact

Effects of environmental shifts, like sea ice loss, on disease spread among species.

Immunotoxic pollutants

Toxic substances that can reduce immune responses in wildlife.

Seroprevalence measurement

Assessment of population immunity by detecting specific antibodies.

Coevolution

Process where host and pathogen populations evolve together through selective pressures.

Myxoma virus

Virus introduced to control rabbit populations in Australia.

Culling impact on badgers

Culling may lead to increased disease spread among surviving populations.

Rabies virus

Viral infection with a 100% post-symptomatic mortality rate affecting all mammals.

Nicotinic receptors

Receptors involved in signal transduction for movement and coordination.

Rabies control methods

Vaccination is preferred for managing rabies due to the high reproductive rate of host species.

Ecological disturbance from diseases

Disruptions in food webs and population dynamics caused by infectious diseases.

Bovine tuberculosis

Infectious disease affecting multiple species including cattle and badgers.

Climate destabilization effects

Environmental changes correlating with increased disease prevalence.

Culling versus vaccination debate

Discussion on the effectiveness of vaccination compared to culling for disease management.

Antibody presence

Indicators of past infection and potential immunity in a population.

Maximal population density effects

Biological factors influencing the maximum density of host species.

Transmission dynamics formula

Mathematical representation of the relationship between recovery and transmission rates.

Herd immunity threshold

The level of immunity in a population that prevents disease spread.

Vaccine efficacy

Measure of a vaccine's ability to prevent disease in a population.

Infectious disease epidemiology

Study of how diseases affect populations and the factors influencing transmission.

Environmental impact on disease spread

How changes in habitat can modify disease dynamics and host interactions.

Interactions of host-pathogen systems

Relationships between host species and their respective pathogens affecting evolution.

Vaccination rates as intervention

Importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to control diseases.

Mortality consequences of disease outbreaks

Significance of high death rates due to infectious diseases in host populations.

Island habitat concept

Hosts serve as localized environments for disease agents.

Plasmodium malaria species

Group of malaria-causing species; most infect lizards, only a few infect humans.

Reproductive impact of disease

Diseases can reduce reproductive success due to compromised physical health.

Culling effects on wildlife populations

Alterations in animal behavior and health dynamics following population control measures.

Transmission dynamics in epidemics

Factors influencing spread and maintenance of infectious diseases in populations.

Host resistance evolution

Development of immunity in host species through ongoing disease exposure.

Antigenic shift in viruses

Recombination of viral strains leading to new variants and potential zoonotic infections.

Influence of land use on disease dynamics

How alterations in habitat can facilitate disease transmission and outbreaks.

Population modeling in epidemiology

Simulations used to predict disease spread based on different population structures.

Residual effects of diseases

Long-term impacts disease outbreaks may have on host populations and ecosystems.

Climate factors in population health

The interplay between environmental variables and the health of wildlife populations.

Importance of understanding disease agents

Key to managing wildlife health and mitigating the impact of infectious diseases.

Seroprevalence and public health responses

Utilizing seroprevalence data to inform disease management strategies.

Adaptive responses in host populations

Changes in behavior or genetics in hosts due to disease pressures.