Epidemiology and infection Control Flashcards
What are the most deadly infections
Lower Respiratory infections
Define Epidemiology
The study of people and disease through time and space
–Epi–upon, demos–population or people, logy–study or study of
- Science that evaluates occurrence, causation, and control of health and disease in a population
- Epidemiologist –scientists are disease detectives
–Epidemiological study coordinated globally and nationally
How was Epidemiology started?
The birth of epidemiology
–Discovered how cholera was transmitted –water
- An English physician investigated cholera outbreak in 1854
- Plotted deaths on a map
–Deaths groups around a pump
–Pump inactivated less disease
–Linked disease with sewage contamination
Define Sporadic disease
The disease occurs at irregular intervals
Define
–Sudden unexpected occurrence of disease
•Limited part of the population –legionnaires disease
Define Epidemic
–Outbreaks affecting many people in a population
Define Common source epidemics
a rapid increase in cases
–Food contamination or water
Define Propagated epidemic
a slow increase in cases
–Usually from an infected individual
-Strep throat in children
Define Endemic
A disease that maintains a regular low level in a population
E.g. •Rhino V and Corona V –common cold
Define Pandemic
World widespread of a disease
- Must involve spread to at least 3 different countries
- Must have evidence of sustained transmission
For example:
•H1N1A 2009 –Swine flu
•H3N2 flu strain 2017 (Australian flu strain) caused 300 deaths in Australia
Define Mortality rate
Number of deaths due to a disease / total number in the population
Define Morbidity rate
Number of new cases of a disease during a specified period / total number in a population
Define Incidence
Number of new cases in a set population in a set period of time
Define Prevalence
Total number of people infected in a population at any one time
Define Modelling disease
Laboratory studies on pathogens allow spread to be modelled
