They investigate health-related matters by gathering information, examining data, and looking for patterns. They then define issues of concern, determine causes, establish a timeline, and develop a solution.
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What skills does an Epidemiologist need
Clinical medicine, pathology, biostatistics, and social science
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Endemic
A disease present in a community or population within a specific geographical area
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Example of an endemic
Malaria in Africa, South America, and Asia
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Outbreak
A sudden increase of a disease in a localized area
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Sporadic
A disease that occurs infrequently
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Epidemic
When there is a sudden increase in a disease
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Pandemic
An epidemic that has spread across several countries/continents
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Nosocomial infection
A hospital-acquired infection
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Agents of disease
The types of organisms that cause disease
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Inherited disease
Genetic, from your family
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Infectious disease
A disease that is contracted/caught
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Infection
The establishment of a disease-causing microorganism within a host
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Host
An organism that another organism lives in
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Disease
The invasion and growth of a pathogen
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Pathogens
Disease-causing organisms
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Microbes
Microscopic agents of disease
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Prion
Non-living, submicroscopic, proteins
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How are prions contracted
Through consumption of tainted meat, or medical equipment, or by receiving corneas or organs from those infected
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What damage do prions cause
They can cause brain proteins to fold abnormally
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What is an example of a prion
Creutzfel-Jakob Disease(CJD)
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What are the symptoms of Creutzfel-Jakob Disease (CJD)
It can result in dementia, walking difficulties, hallucinations, confusion, and death
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Treatment of Prions
There is no cure, but medication can slow progression.
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Prevention of Prions
You can prevent this disease by properly cleaning medical equipment, and telling people who have it to not donate corneas or organs.
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Virus
Non-living microscopic agents made of an outer protein shell (capsid) and RNA or DNA
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How are viruses contracted
It depends. Some can occur through touch, saliva, blood, or sexual contact.
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Why do viruses infect hosts
They can’t replicate on their own so they need to infect a host to steal their protein synthesis process
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What damage can be caused by a virus
The host’s cells and tissues are destroyed
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How do you treat viruses
TAntivirals may be used sometimes and over-the-counter meds can relieve symptoms (pain relievers, decongestants, and cough syrup)
It depends, it can occur through an orifice(nose, eyes, mouth), a wound, ingesting contaminated food/water, inhalation, sexual contact, or an imbalance of flora
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What damage can bacteria cause
It can invade cells, cause tissue damage, and produce harmful toxins
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How do you treat bacteria
Antibiotics
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How do you prevent bacteria
Vaccines, keeping everything sanitary, and proper hygeine
It depends on where it is. It typically starts in the lungs and hosts typically experience a bad cough for 3+ weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood/phlegm, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, a lack of appetite, chills, and fever
Living, multicellular, microscopic or macroscopic, eukaryotic worms
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How are helminths contracted
Depends. It may occur through consumption of contaminated food or water or by being bitten by an insect
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What damage do helminths cause
They deprive the host of nutrients and can cause tissue and organ damage
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What is the treatment of helminths
Deworming medication
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How do you prevent helminths
By avoiding the consumption of feces, ingestion of meat from those infected, and insect bites
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What is an example of a helminth
Taenia (tapeworm infection)
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What are the symptoms of taenia
Nausea, weight loss, abdomin pain, loss of apetite, diarrhea, and malnutrition. In invasive infections, hosts will have a fever, cystic masses/lumps, an allergic reaction to larvae, a bacterial infection, and neurological responses such as seizures.
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Fungi
Living, multicellular, eukaryotic organisms. Includes yeast, mildew, mold, and mushrooms. Both microscopic and macroscopic varieties exist.
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How are fungi contracted
Some forms infect when spores are inhaled or when they land on a host
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What damage can fungi cause
It can result in tissue damage
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How are fungi treated
Antifungals
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How do you prevent fungi
By avoiding contact with an infected host
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What is an example of fungi
Tinea pedis causes athlete’s foot
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What causes athlete’s foot
Thick, tight shoes that squeeze the toes together and create a warm, moist area between them. Damp socks and shoes and warm, humid conditions help fungi grow
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What are symptoms of athlete’s foot
Dryness, itching, stinging, burning, crackling and peeling skin, and blisters between toes or on soles of the feet. Toenails may be thick, crumbly, ragged, discolored, or peeling away at the nail bed.
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Susceptible host
someone vulnerable to infection
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Reservoir
the infected individual
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Chain of infection
how a disease infects people/how it behaves
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Direct contact
direct contact to susceptible host from an infected host through fluid
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Indirect contact
when a susceptible host inhales infected particles, touches an infected object, or is bitten by an infected insect
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Infectious dose
the number of organisms it takes to cause an illness
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Immune system
a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from agents of disease
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Innate immunity
nonspecific immune defense that we’re born with, it keeps the outside from coming in
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Adaptive(acquired) immunity
specific immune defense, acquired over time and uses specific antibodies against antigens
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Active immunity
acquired following infection and recovery or from a vaccine, the body makes its own antibodies
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Passive immunity
from your mother
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How is passive immunity acquired?
Through the placenta or breast milk
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Antigen
anything that stimulates immune response, the protein coating on all cells
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Antibody
a protein that impairs pathogens
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Immunity
the ability to defend against a pathogen
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Naturally acquired immunity
after someone is already infected and has T
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Vaccine(artificially acquired immunity)
when someone is injected with a mild form of an infection in order to build up immunity
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Herd immunity
artificial immunity in which most of the population is vaccinated
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Simulation
a representation of a phenomenon, typically virtual, used to more safely study an event
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Who’s a susceptible host?
Anyone, but especially children, the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, and unimmunized people (unvaccinated people)
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What are the portals of entry?
The skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, urogenital, and conjunctive
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What are the modes of transmission?
direct and indirect
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What are the agents of disease?
Prions, bacteria, fungi, protists, helminths, and viruses
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What are three reservoirs?
People, animals, and the environment
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What are the portals of exit?
The skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, urogenital, and conjunctive
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What is the first line of defense?
The physical and chemical barriers
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What are the physical barriers of the immune system?
The skin and mucus lining, organisms are stopped by the skin and the mucus lines organs and stops pathogens
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What are the chemical barriers?
The lysosomes of the eyes, tears, and acid in the stomach, they kill the pathogens trying to gain entry
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What is the second line of defense?
Inflammation (mast cells) and Leukocytes
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What does the second line of defense do?
It searches for suspicious objects, and causes blood and white blood cells to attack it, it can do this with harmful and nonharmful invaders
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What is an example of a nonharmful invader?
Dust
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What is the chemical that signals inflammation?
Histamine
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Phagocytes
Cell eaters, they destroy invaders
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Macrophages
Eat unwanted pathogens, kill cancer cells
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Where can you find Macrophages?
In specific organs, blood, or sites of infection
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Natural killer
detects rogue/infected cwells, checks cells, and destroys broken ones
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Dendritic cells
links systems and unsed for communication via antigens
Studied by 52 people
