Chapter 6 - Viruses

Endemic

diseases that persist at a moderate or steady state level within a given geographic area

Epidemic

an unusually high number of cases in excess of normal expectation of a similar illness in a population, community or region

Sporadic

disease outbreaks that have no pattern of occurrence in a given time or location

Pandemic

worldwide epidemic

Morbidity

refers to illness or disease state

Mortality

numbers of deaths correlated with a particular disease

Incidence

measurement of morbidity; number of new cases of a disease that occurs in a specified period of time in a susceptible population

Prevalence

measurement of morbidity; number of cases (new and old) in an existing population at a specified time

Carrier

an individual who harbors the virus but is not infected as measured by serologic methods or by evidence ofclinical illness

Incubation period

time between infection with a virus and the onset of symptoms

Prodromal period

first appearance of mild or nonspecific signs and symptoms of an illness

Mode of transmission

how an infectious disease is spread or passed on

Etiological agent/pathogen

disease causing agent

Reservoid

where the etiological agent lives, grows, and multiplies

Case definition

a standard set of criteria that is used to identify who ahs the disease being studied

Communicable period

time period when an infected individual or animal is contagious and he/she can direct or indirectly infect another person, animal, or arthropod

Convalescense

the recovery period after an illness

Zoonosis

any infection or infectious disease transmissible from animals to humans