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Epidemiology Terms

Terms in this set (38)

pathology
study of disease
pathogenesis
development of disease

literally - disease origins
"pathos"
suffering or disease
"genesis"
birth or beginning or origin
acute
New, usually of rapid onset and of concern, opposite of chronic
chronic
Long-standing, constant, slow to develop. Opposite of acute

common U.S. examples - arthritis, diabetes, heart disease
latent infection
infection in which the infectious agent is present but not causing symptoms

common examples: Herpes, HIV, (can be) C.diff, (can be) MRSA
latent
hidden, present but not realized
acute infection
comes on rapidly, with severe but short-lived effects
chronic infection
an infection that generally develops slowly and lasts for months or years
herd immunity
the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination.
local infection
An infection, such as a pimple or abscess, that is confined to a particular part of the body and appears as a lesion containing pus.
focal infection
when infectious agent breaks loose from a local infection and is carried to other tissues

best example - gum disease bacteria get into the blood and MOVE to the heart valves.
systemic infection
infection spreads to several sites and tissue fluids usually in the bloodstream
mutualism
A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

example: Lactobacillus in our gut is helpful to us and to the bacteria, which gets a place to live.

example: parasitic worms that reduce host allergenic responses.
Commensalism
an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

example: bacteria in our gut that don't appear to offer benefits to us, but don't appear to damage us either
parasitism
A relationship in which one organism lives on or in a host and probably harms it.

example: parasitic worms that are not held in check by our immune system - can migrate to other organs in the body. Most typical in an already malnourished child.
symbiosis
A relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other.

The relationship can be mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic. Many relationships can be be mutualistic sometimes, then parasitic at others. Context and the underlying health of the host are critical to determining how the relationship goes.
opportunistic pathogens
cause disease when the host's defenses are compromised or when they grow in part of the body that is not natural to them

example -
E.coli when it causes urinary tract infections
Staph aureus when it causes boils
Strep pyogenes when it causes Strep throat
C. diff when it causes diarrhea
Candida when it overgrows
Neisseria when it causes meningitis

Lots of examples! :-)
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
endemic
disease that is always present in the population at some level

literally "within the people"
epidemic
A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease.

literally "upon the people"
pandemic
Disease that affects a very high proportion of the population; often implies that the disease has spread over many countries

literally "all the people"
epi-
upon or above
end-
inside, within
pan-
all, entire
dem-
people, population
incidence
The number or rate of new cases of a particular condition during a specific time.

This number can never be higher than the prevalence.
prevalence
fraction of a population having a specific disease at a given time

This number will always be higher (or at least the same) as incidence.
communicable disease
a disease that is spread from one host to another
noncommunicable disease
a disease that is not transmitted by another person, a vector, or the environment
contagious
Highly communicable - easily passed
disease vector
method by which a disease can be transmitted
animal vector
Transmission of a pathogen by an animal:

fleas - tapeworms and the Bubonic plague
mammal bites - rabies
ticks - lyme disease, Rocky mountain spotted fever
mosquitos - malaria, west nile virus
water vector
transmission of disease through water

Giardia - cold water (pacific northwest)
Cholera - fecally contaminated water anywhere (crowded cities without good sanitation most common)
Amoebic dysentery - fecally contaminated water in tropical places
Fomites
object vectors - contaminated with infectious material that contains the pathogen
Fomite Examples
doorknobs, hospital privacy curtains, stethoscopes, medical equipment, catheters, counters, sink handles, utensils, droplet aerosols (cough droplets), kleenex, contaminated needles

how hospital associated diseases are spread
how tuberculosis is spread
how cold and flu are spread
direct contact transmission
requires close association between infected and susceptible host - handshakes, kissing, sexual contact, sharing drinks

HIV, Hepatitis B/C, Herpes, HPV, all STIs
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