L24 History of Epidemics

Question 1

How do we know a historical epidemic happened

Answer 1

Historical acconts
Molecular analysis or identification of skeletal features
Infectious agents could have mutated over centuries

Question 2

What helps to contain the spread of infectious diseases

Answer 2

Implementing isolation, quarantine and border control

Question 3

What is being increasingly recognised as a key component of outbreak response

Answer 3

Community engagement

Question 4

Smallpox fact sheet:
Agent, mortality, transmission, incubation period and symptoms

Answer 4

Variola virus
30% mortality
Person to person via droplets or contact with contaminated bedding
Up to 2 weeks incubation
Highe fever, fatigue, back pain, rash pustules

Question 5

When was small pox eradicated

Answer 5

1980

Question 6

Cholera agent, mortality, transmission, incubation, symptoms

Answer 6

Bacterium vibrio cholerae
25-50% mortality
contaminated food or water
2hr to 5 day incubation
watery diarrhea, vomiting, circulatory collapse and shock

Question 7

What is the reproduction number

Answer 7

Epidemiological metric used to describe the contagiousness or transmisability of an infectious agent

Question 8

What factors affect reproduction number

Answer 8

Biological, sociobehavioural and environmental

Question 9

When is an outbreak expected to continue

Answer 9

If RO has a value >1

Question 10

How are outbreaks survailed

Answer 10

Digital media
Animal survaillance
Mathematical modelling

Question 11

How is information about outbreaks shared

Answer 11

Online platforms
WHO’s early warning and response system
Oxford-Nanopore minION