HUMAN SCIENCES: Cells to Societies (Pandemics and epidemics) Week 1

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Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms introduced in Week 1 of the Pandemics and Epidemics module.

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28 Terms

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Pandemic

Spread of an infectious disease over a very wide area, typically affecting a large proportion of the population, with sustained human-to-human transmission and global impact.

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Endemic

Constant or usual presence of a disease or infectious agent within a geographic area or population.

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Epidemic

Occurrence of disease cases in a community or region above normal expectancy.

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Epidemiological triangle

A framework that explains disease as the interaction of host, agent/pathogen, and environment.

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Host

An organism in which a pathogen resides and to which transmission may occur.

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Agent / Pathogen

Biological agent that causes disease (prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or helminths).

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Environment (in epidemiology)

External factors that influence transmission, including living conditions, climate, and social factors.

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Air droplet transmission

Spread of pathogens via respiratory droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes; infection via inhalation or mucous membranes.

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Faecal-oral transmission

Pathogens shed in feces and ingested, often through contaminated water or food.

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Sexual transmission

Pathogens spread through sexual contact or exchange of sexual fluids.

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Vector-borne transmission

Pathogens transmitted by a vector (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks) such as malaria or dengue.

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Blood transmission

Pathogens transmitted through blood, including transfusions, needlestick injuries, or shared needles.

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Vertical transmission

Pathogen transmission from mother to fetus/child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.

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PHEIC

Public Health Emergency of International Concern; a formal WHO designation under the International Health Regulations signaling a serious public health risk with international implications.

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IHR (International Health Regulations)

A legally binding framework for managing cross-border health threats among WHO member states; originally adopted in 2007 with later amendments.

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Prion

Infectious protein causing neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Creutzfeldt–Jakob) without nucleic acid.

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Virus

A small infectious agent that replicates inside living cells; examples include influenza and SARS-CoV-2.

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Bacteria

Single-celled microorganisms; some cause disease while others are beneficial.

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Fungi

Organisms such as yeasts and molds that can cause infections.

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Protozoa

Unicellular eukaryotic organisms; some cause diseases like malaria.

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Helminths

Multicellular parasitic worms (nematodes, cestodes, trematodes) that can cause disease.

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H5N1 (avian influenza)

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; can spill over from birds to humans; high case fatality in humans, but not typically sustained human-to-human transmission.

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Spillover

Transmission of a pathogen from animals to humans.

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Evolutionary ecology

Study of how ecological and evolutionary processes affect disease transmission, virulence, and resistance (e.g., antibiotic resistance development).

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Biomedicine

Medical approach focusing on cellular/organ-level disease; understanding pathogens helps detect, treat, prevent, and cure disease.

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Health geography

Interdisciplinary field examining how disease spreads across space and place using tools like GIS; considers migration, environment, and cultural factors.

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Polio (poliomyelitis)

Viral disease targeted for global eradication; can cause paralysis.

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Vaccine-derived polio

Paralytic polio caused by mutations of the live attenuated oral polio vaccine in areas with low vaccination coverage.