Quiz 8: Chapter 24 Flashcards
Algorithms
Method of solving a problem by looking at the repetitive occurrence and the connection between the events that occur.
Biological Terrorism
An intentional release of viruses, bacteria, or their toxins for the purpose of harming or killing.
BioNet
A system to detect and determine links between disease agents during terrorist attacks.
Chase Definition
A standardized list of criteria used for identifying cases of reportable diseases.
Chemical Terrorism
The intentional release of hazardous chemicals into the environment for the purpose of harming or killing.
Cluster of Illness
A group of events usually occurring close together in time, place, and demographics.
Common Source
An outbreak that refers to a group exposed to a common noxious influence such as the release of noxious gases.
Disease Surveillance
The ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of specific health data for use in public health.
Endemic
A disease/event that is found to be present (occurring) in a population in which there is a persistent (usual) presence with low to moderate disease/event cases.
Enhanced Surveillance Project
A special system developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that is designed to help assess unusual patterns of diseases or events.
Epidemic
Occurrence of a disease within an area that is clearly in excess of expected levels (endemic) for a given time period.
Event
Environmental, occupational exposures, natural or person induced: an occurrence of a phenomenon of health that can be discretely characterized. Can be environmental, occupational, or biological; can be naturally occurring or person induced.
Holoendemic
Highly prevalent problem acquired early in life that is commonly found in a population. The prevalence of this problem decreases as age increases.
Hyperendemic
A disease/event that is found to have a persistently (usually) high number of cases.
Infectivity
Refers to the capacity of an agent to enter a susceptible host and produce infection or disease.
Intermittent or Continuous Source
Cases may be exposed periodically or uninterrupted over a period of days or weeks.
Laboratory Response Network
Developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to maintain an integrated network of state and local public health, federal, military, and international laboratories to respond to biological and chemical terrorism and other public health emergencies.
Mixed Outbreak
An outbreak with a common source followed by secondary exposures related to person-to-person contact, as in the spreading of influenza.
National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System
A voluntary system monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that includes 52 infectious diseases or conditions with case definitions that are considered important to the public’s health.
Outbreak
Change (increase) in disease/event from expected levels to levels that are clearly in excess.
Outbreak Detection
Identifying a rise in frequency of disease above the usual occurrence of the disease.
Outcome Data
Focuses on changes in health status.
Pandemic
Refers to the epidemic spread of the problem over several countries or continents.
Pathogenicity
Measures the proportion of infected people who develop the disease.
Person Under Investigation
relies on clinical presentation of the patient, clinical judgment of the provider, and the geographic location (epidemiologic place) of the person to confirm possible exposure to the disease.
Point Source
An outbreak that involves all persons exposed becoming ill at same time, during one incubation period.
Process Data
Data that focus on services provided or protocols for health care.
Propagated Outbreak
An outbreak that does not have a common source and spreads gradually from person to person, over more than one incubation period.
Public Health Protection
Laws, regulations, reporting mechanisms, and data collections used for disease surveillance/outbreak investigations to protect the public’s health.
PulseNet
A system developed by the CDC, the Association of Public Health Laboratories, and federal food regulatory agencies to “fingerprint” foodborne bacteria. This system is designed to provide data for early recognition and investigation of foodborne outbreaks in all 50 states.
Sentinel
A surveillance system that monitors key health events when information is not otherwise available or in vulnerable populations to calculate or estimate disease morbidity.
Sporadic
Problems with an irregular pattern with occasional cases found at irregular intervals.
Syndromic Surveillance System
Systems developed to monitor illness syndromes or events, such as increased numbers of medication purchases, trips to physicians or emergency departments, or orders for cultures or x-ray films, as well as rising levels of school or work absenteeism, which may indicate that an epidemic is developing hours or days before disease clusters are recognized or specific diagnoses are made and reported to public health agencies.
Virulence
Refers to the proportion of people with clinical disease who become severely ill or die.
