EPI exam 1
epidemiology
the study of distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in human population and the application of this study to the prevention and control of health problems (being detectives)
atomic theory
the theory that everything is made of tiny particles
incubation period
the time period between an infection by a pathogen and the first symptoms of disease
latency period
the time when the disease is present but not symptomatic or detected
direct transmission
uninterrupted and immediate transfer of an infectious agent from one person to another
smallpox
a disease characterized by chills, fever, headache, and backache with an eruption of pimples that blister and form pockmarks, however milkmaids discovered cowpox from cows
scurvy
a disease marked by spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and extreme weakness- this all came from a vitamin c deficiency
noncommunicable disease
a disease that is not transmitted from one host to another
host
a human or an animal that is suspectible to the disease (healthcare worker, patient, unvaccinated individuals)
secondary case
a person who becomes infected and ill after a disease has been introduced into a population and who is infected as a result of contact with the primary case
toxin
a poison and consequently kills pathogens by poisoning them
case definition
a standard set of criteria, this ensures that cases are constiently diagnosed regardless of where or when they were identified and who diagnosed the case
childbed fever
a uterine infection, usually of the placental site, after childbirth
examples of epidemics
cholera zika polio opioids ebola
Mary Mallon (Typhoid Mary)
chronic carrier of typhoid fever, was believed to be responsible for 51 cases of typhoid fever in a 15-year period
Robert Koch
used photography to take the first pictures to show the world that microorganisms do exist and cause diseases, developed an understanding of plate culturing
epidemic
occurrence of cases of an illness, specific health-related behavior, or other health-related events clearly in excess of normal expectancy in a community or region (outbreak confined in a geographical area)
mechanical transmission
when a pathogen spreads using a host as a mechanism for a ride for nourishment, or as part of a physical transfer process
biological transmission
when a pathogen undergoes changes as part of its life cycle while within the host/vector and before being transmitted to the new host
communicable disease
when an infectious disease is contagious or capable of being communicated or transmitted
antibiotics
work against pathogens because of their toxicity
cause
specific event, condition, or characteristic that precedes the health outcome and is necessary for its occurence
agent
the cause of the disease
virulence
the disease evoking power of a pathogen
primary case
the first case in the population
index case
the first disease case brought to the attention of the epidemiologist
reservior
the habitat (living or nonliving) in or on which an infectious agent lives, grows, and multiples, and on which it depends for its survival in nature ex: swamp
portal of entry
the pathogen or disease-causing agent enters the body (host)
etiology
the science and study of the causes of disease and their modes of operation
variolation
discovered the important of capturing the weaker strain of smallpox so it did not develop into a deadly disease
4 common stages relevant to most diseases
1. Stage of susceptibility 2. Stage of pre-symptomatic disease -Incubation period -Latency period 3. Stage of clinical disease 4. Stage of recovery, disability, or death
5 types of carriers identified by public health and medical fields
1. active carrier 2. convalescent carrier 3. healthy carrier (also known as passive carrier) 4. incubatory carrier 5. intermittent carrier
5 categories of classifying disease
1. congenital and hereditary diseases 2. allergies and inflammatory diseases 3. degenerative diseases 4. metabolic diseases 5. cancer
hippocrates
Father of medicine, was also thought of as the first epidemiologist
Florence Nightingale
Founder of modern nursing (mother of nursing)
examples of pandemics
HIV Covid-19 Influenza
epidemiological triangle
Host, agent, & environment (time is at the middle) Ex for malaria : Host-Person; Agent- Mosquito; Environment- swampy environment in tropical region
John Graunt
Introduced vital statistics to understand human populations
John Snow
Mapped the occurrence of cholera in London and because of these contributes to epidemiology he was seen as the father of epidemiology
Benjamin Jesty
Observed that milkmaids did not get smallpox, but did get cowpox
James Lind
Prescribed lime juice containing vitamin C to prevent scurvy in 1795
secondary prevention
aimed at health screenings and detection activities used to identify disease ex: mammogram screenings
Cholera
an acute infectious disease characterized by watery diarrhea, loss of fluid and electrolytes, dehydration, and collapse from contaminated pipes and water in London
pandemic
an epidemic that affects or attacks the population of an extensive region, country, or continent
fomite
an inanimate (nonliving) object that can harbor an infectious agent and is capable of being a means of transmission ex: door handle, clothes, utensils
suspect case
an individual (or group of individuals) who has all the signs and symptoms of a disease or condition but has not been diagnosed as having the disease or has the cause of symptoms connected to a suspected pathogen
convalescent carrier
an individual who harbors a pathogen and who although in the recovery phase of the course of the disease, is still infectious
active carrier
an individual who has been exposed to and harbors a disease causing organism (pathogen) and who has done so for some time, even though the person may have recovered from the disease
intermittent carrier
an individual who has been exposed to and harbors a pathogen and who can spread the disease in difference places or at different intervals
healthy carrier (passive carrier)
an individual who has been exposed to and harbors a pathogen but has not become ill or shown any of the symptoms of the disease; this could be referred to as subclinical case
incubatory carrier
an individual who has been exposed to and harbors a pathogen is in the beginning stages of the disease, is displaying symptoms, and has the ability to transmit the disease
typhus
an infectious disease caused by one of the bacteria in the family rickettsiae, is characterized by high fever, a transient rash, and severe illness
zoonosis
an infectious organism in vertebrate animals that can be transmitted to humans through direct contact, a fomite, or a vector ex: rabies comes from infected animals
disease
an interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs; diseases arise from infectious agents, inherent weaknesses, lifestyle, or environmental stressors
vector
an invertebrate animal that transmits infection by conveying the infectious agent from one host to another ex: mite, tick, mosquito, blood sucking fly
allergies and inflammatory diseases
caused by the body reacting an to invasion of or injury by a foreign object or substance, an allergen causes these reactions
pathogen
any virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite
common source epidemic
arises from a specific source (transmission directly from agent)
propagated epidemic
arises from infections transmitted from one infected person to another (transmitted from another person)
risk factor
behavior, environmental exposure, or inherent human characteristic that increases the chance of developing an adverse health outcome
congenital and hereditary diseases
caused by genetic and familial tendencies toward certain inborn abnormalities; injuries to the embryo or fetus by environmental factors, chemical or agents such as drugs, alcohol, and smoking; or innate development problems possibly caused by chemicals or agents
tertiary prevention
consists of limiting any disability by providing rehab when a disease, injury, or disorder has already occurred and caused damage ex: rehab, therapy of mental disorders, PT/OT
carrier
contains, spreads, or harbors an infectious organism
Louis Pasteur
demonstrated that vaccines were effective approaches in disease control and that bacteria was the cause of anthrax
2 types of modes of disease transmission
direct and indirect transmission
Ignaz Semmelweis
discovered the importance of handwashing in medicine after watching how childbed fever was a killer for many
passive primary prevention
does not require behavior change on the part of the individual (eating vitamin rich foods)
ex of congenital/hereditary diseases
down syndrome hemophilia heart disease at birth
examples of endemics
flu malaria syphillis
antibodies
formed as a first line of defense
environment
includes those surroundings and conditions external to the human or animal that cause or allows disease transmission
chain of infection
infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host
Typhoid fever
infectious disease characterized by a continued fever, physical and mental depression, rose-colored spots on the chest and abs, diarrhea, and sometimes intestinal hemorrhage or perforation of the bowel
ex of acute communicable diseases
influenza lyme disease mumps measles cholera
vehicle-borne transmission
involved an inanimate object that conveys an infectious agent to a host
descriptive epidemiology
involved characterization of the distribution of health-related states or events (describing events of the human population)
analytic epidemiology
involves finding and quantifying associations, testing hypotheses, and identifying causes of health related states or events
vehicle (fomite)
is a nonliving intermediary such as clothing, food, or water that conveys the infectious agent from its reservior to a suspectible host
case
is a person in a population who has been identified as having a particular disease, disorder, injury, or condition
rehabilitation
is any attempt to restore an afflicted person to a useful, productive, and satisfying lifestyle
ex of chronic communicable diseases
leprosy polio syphillis TB
chronic disease
less severe but of continuous duration, lasting over long periods, if not a lifetime
multifactorial etiology
more than one genetic and/or environmental cause
indirect transmission
occurs when an agent is transferred or carried by some intermediate item, organism, means, or process to a host, resulting in disease
vector-borne transmission
occurs when an anthropod (mosquito, flea, tick, lice) conveys the infectious agent ex: zika, malaria, lyme disease
airborne transmission
occurs when droplets or dust particles carry the pathogen to the host and cause infection ex: respiratory viruses, pertussis, pnemococcal pneumonia
portal of exit
occurs when the pathogen leaves the reservior through nose, mouth, rectum, urinary tract, blood, bodily fluids
mixed epidemic
occurs when victims of a common-source epidemic have person-to-person contact with others and spread the disease, resulting in a propagated outbreak (mix of common source and propagated)
vitamins
organic compounds in food that are needed in very small amounts for metabolism, growth, and maintaining good health
ex of allergies/inflammatory diseases
pollen plants perfume foods drugs dust
primary prevention
preventing a disease or disorder before it happens ex: health promotion, education, preventive care
efficacy
refers to the ability of a program to produce a desired effect among those who participate in the program compared with those who do not
effectiveness
refers to the ability of a program to produce benefits among those who are offered the program
infectivity
refers to the capability of a disease agent to enter, survive in, and multiply in a suspectible host
endemic
refers to the ongoing, unusual, or constant presence of a disease in a community or among a group of people (continously prevailing in a region)
acute disease
relatively severe disorder with sudden onset and short duration of symptoms
time
represents the incubation period, life expectancy of the host or the pathogen, and duration of the course of the illness or condition
active primary prevention
requires behavior change in the individual (exercises, eating better, stop smoking)
anthrax
serious bacterial infection, usually fatal, caused by bacillus anthracis, this was a major epidemic that plagued the famers and destroyed them economically
case severity
severity of illness, this is found by looking at several variables that are effective measures of it