+1 credit
| Version | Summary | Created by | Modification | Content Size | Created at | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camila Xu | -- | 1307 | 2022-11-23 01:46:24 |
Video Upload Options
An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί epi "upon or above" and δῆμος demos "people") is the rapid spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time, usually two weeks or less. For example, in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic. Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by several factors including a change in the ecology of the host population (e.g. increased stress or increase in the density of a vector species), a genetic change in the pathogen reservoir or the introduction of an emerging pathogen to a host population (by movement of pathogen or host). Generally, an epidemic occurs when host immunity to either an established pathogen or newly emerging novel pathogen is suddenly reduced below that found in the endemic equilibrium and the transmission threshold is exceeded. An epidemic may be restricted to one location; however, if it spreads to other countries or continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic. The declaration of an epidemic usually requires a good understanding of a baseline rate of incidence; epidemics for certain diseases, such as influenza, are defined as reaching some defined increase in incidence above this baseline. A few cases of a very rare disease may be classified as an epidemic, while many cases of a common disease (such as the common cold) would not.
References
- Principles of Epidemiology, Third Edition. Atlanta, Georgia: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2012. https://www.cdc.gov/ophss/csels/dsepd/ss1978/ss1978.pdf.
- Green MS; Swartz T; Mayshar E; Lev B; Leventhal A; Slater PE; Shemer Js (January 2002). "When is an epidemic an epidemic?". Isr. Med. Assoc. J. 4 (1): 3–6. PMID 11802306. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11802306
- "2,500-year evolution of the term epidemic". Emerging Infect. Dis. 12 (6): 976–80. June 2006. doi:10.3201/eid1206.051263. PMID 16707055. PMC 3373038. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/content/12/6/pdfs/v12-n6.pdf.
- Controlling the global obesity epidemic, the World Health Organisation http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/obesity/en/
- "Epidemic." Black's Medical Dictionary, 42nd Edition. London: A&C Black, 201e. Web. 17 September 2012.
- "transmission." Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary. Philadelphia: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 17 September 2012.
- Gerson, Michael (30 March 2015). "The next epidemic". The Greenville News (South Carolina, US).
- Silver, Marc (30 March 2015). "Bill Gates Tells The World: Get Ready For The Next Epidemic". NPR. https://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2015/03/30/393848395/bill-gates-tells-the-world-get-ready-for-the-next-epidemic. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- Thomsen, Jacqueline (2 February 2018). "CDC to cut global disease prevention efforts by 80 percent". http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/371961-cdc-to-cut-global-disease-prevention-efforts-by-80-percent.
- "Bill Gates thinks an infectious disease outbreak could kill 30 million people in the next decade — but the US is cutting efforts to prevent global pandemics". http://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-cutting-global-disease-outbreak-prevention-efforts-pandemic-risk-2018-2.
- Lodge, T. (1603). A treatise of the plague: containing the nature, signes, and accidents of the same, with the certaine and absolute cure of the fevers, botches and carbuncles that raigne in these times. London: Edward White.
