Epidemiology Flashcards

Flashcards on Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Science that evaluates occurrence, determinants, distribution, and control of health and disease in a defined human population.

John Snow

The first epidemiologist, who studied cholera in London.

Koch's Postulates

A set of criteria used to establish the causative agent of a disease.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Worldwide counterpart to the CDC, located in Geneva, Switzerland.

Sporadic disease

Occurs occasionally and at irregular intervals.

Endemic disease

Maintains a relatively steady low-level frequency at a moderately regular interval.

Hyperendemic diseases

Gradually increase in occurrence frequency above endemic level but not to epidemic level.

Outbreak

Sudden, unexpected occurrence of disease, usually focal.

Epidemic

Outbreak affecting many people at once; sudden increase in frequency above expected number.

Pandemic

Increase in disease occurrence within a large population over a wide region (usually worldwide).

Index case

The first case in an epidemic.

Public health surveillance

Protecting populations/improving the health of communities via education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and prevention of disease and injury.

Statistics in Epidemiology

Mathematics dealing with collection, organization, and interpretation of numerical data.

Morbidity rate

Number of new cases in a specific time period per unit of population (incidence rate).

Prevalence rate

Total number of individuals infected at any one time.

Mortality rate

Number of deaths from a disease per number of cases of the disease.

Communicable disease

Disease that can be transmitted from one person to another.

Common source epidemic

Epidemic arising from a single common contaminated source.

Propagated epidemic

Epidemic where one infected individual transmits infection to others.

Herd immunity

Level of resistance of a population to infection because of immunity of a large percentage of the population.

Antigenic shift

Major change in antigenic character of pathogen.

Antigenic drift

Smaller changes in antigenic character of pathogen.

Nosocomial Infections

Hospital-acquired infections from pathogens within a healthcare facility.

Endogenous pathogen

Pathogen brought into hospital by patient or acquired when patient is colonized after admission

Exogenous pathogen

Microbiota other than the patient’s.

Autogenous infection

Infection caused by an agent derived from microbiota of patient despite whether it became part of patient’s microbiota following admission

Vaccine

Preparation of microbial antigens used to induce protective immunity.

Immunization

Result obtained when vaccine stimulates immunity.

Adjuvants

Nontoxic material that prolongs antigen interaction with immune cells and stimulates the immune response to the antigen.

Bioterrorism

Intentional or threatened use of viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins from living organisms to produce death or disease.

Tier 1 Agents

CDC defined select agents with the highest risk of causing a high-consequence event.

Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act

Identified select agents whose use is tightly regulated.

Laboratory Response Network (LRN)

Ensuring effective laboratory response to terrorism by improving U.S. public health lab infrastructure