Pathology Epidemiology, Onset, and Duration

Exacerbation

increase in severity of a disease.

Remission

a cessation of the symptoms of disease.

Congenital

existing at the time of birth or shortly thereafter.

Acquired

a disease, condition or abnormality that is not hereditary or innate.

Recurrent

reappearance of symptoms after a period of remission.

Acute

a disease with rapid onset and short duration.

Chronic

a disease with a slow onset and long duration.

Fulminating

having rapid and severe onset, usually fatal.

Prognosis

prediction of the outcome of disease.

Endemic

a disease that is continuously present in a given population.

Epidemic

higher than normal appearance of an infectious disease or condition within a given population.

Pandemic

widespread epidemic, possibly worldwide.

Sporadic

disease that occurs in a random or isolated manner.

Prevalence

number of cases of disease present in a specified population at a given time.

Mortality rate

number of deaths in a given time or place or proportion of deaths to a population.

Morbidity rate

the number of cases per year of certain diseases in relation to the population in which they occur.

Idiopathic

a disease of unknown cause.