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