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Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

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Reservoir

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The primary habitat in which a pathogen lives, flourishes, and maintains its ability to infect. Identification of reservoirs can be crucial for disease eradication efforts.

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Epidemiological Triangle

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A model that describes the interaction between the host, agent, and environment in causing disease. An understanding of these three elements can help design effective control and prevention strategies.

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Pathogen

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A microorganism that can cause disease in its host. The study of pathogens is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of disease transmission and development of treatments.

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Nosocomial Infection

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An infection that is acquired in a hospital or healthcare facility. Also known as a hospital-acquired infection. Preventing nosocomial infections is a key aspect of hospital hygiene and infection control programs.

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Surveillance

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The continuous, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data needed for planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. It can detect new diseases and monitor changes in disease frequency.

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Incidence

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The number of new cases of a disease that occur in a given population during a specified period of time. It is important for tracking the spread of diseases within a population.

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Infectivity

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The ability of a pathogen to establish an infection. It can influence how easily a disease spread in a population and depends on both pathogen factors and host immunity.

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Social Distancing

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Measures taken to reduce person-to-person contact in a given population. It aims to slow down the spread of contagious diseases and can include actions like canceling events and closing schools.

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Outbreak Investigation

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A systematic method used to find the cause of an outbreak and control its spread. It includes steps like verifying the diagnosis, defining and identifying cases, and implementing control measures.

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Endemic

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A disease or condition regularly found among particular people or in a certain area. It refers to the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease within a population or geographic area.

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Patient Zero

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The first human case of a disease in an outbreak or epidemic. Identifying this individual can be key for understanding how an infectious disease initially spreads.

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Isolation

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A health care practice used to separate individuals who are infected with a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Helps to stop the spread of diseases by limiting contact.

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Attack Rate

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The proportion of people who become ill with disease among a group of people who were at risk. It helps understand the severity of the disease outbreak and informs control measures.

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Zoonosis

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An infectious disease that has jumped from a non-human animal to humans. Zoonotic pathogens may be bacterial, viral, or parasitic, or involve unconventional agents and can be spread to humans through direct contact or through food, water, and the environment.

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Pathogenicity

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The ability of an organism to cause disease in an infected host. This quality relates to how often the disease causes mild versus severe cases in a population.

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Virulence

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A measure of the severity of a disease caused by a pathogen. This factor can affect decisions on public health interventions and vaccine development.

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Carrier

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An individual who harbors a pathogen without manifesting symptoms, but who can still spread the organism to others. Identifying carriers can be challenging but is crucial in disease control.

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Super Spreader

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An infected individual who transmits a disease to a significantly higher number of other individuals than the average infected person. This concept is critical in understanding and controlling disease outbreaks.

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One Health

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A collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to understanding and managing health issues at the human, animal, and environment interface. It is especially relevant for controlling zoonotic diseases.

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Case Fatality Rate (CFR)

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The proportion of individuals diagnosed with a particular disease who die from that disease over a certain period of time. It provides a measure of the lethality of the disease.

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Vaccination

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A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease. It can prevent the spread of contagious diseases through herd immunity.

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Case Definition

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A standard set of criteria for deciding whether an individual should be classified as having a particular disease. It is crucial for surveillance and reporting during disease outbreaks.

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Vector

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An organism that does not cause disease itself but which spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another, such as mosquitoes spreading malaria.

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Fomite

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An object or material likely to carry infection, such as clothes, utensils, and furniture. It can play a role in the indirect transmission of an infectious agent.

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Disease Eradication

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The permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by a specific pathogen. Eradication efforts require global cooperation and sustained public health initiatives.

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Disinfection

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The process of eliminating or reducing harmful microorganisms from inanimate objects and surfaces. This practice is key in hospitals and healthcare settings to prevent the spread of infections.

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Immunocompromised

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Having an impaired or weakened immune system. People with immunocompromised conditions are more susceptible to infections and may experience more severe disease courses.

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Reproduction Number (R0)

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A measure of the average number of people to whom a single infected person will transmit the disease in a susceptible population. An R0 greater than 1 indicates that an outbreak is likely to continue to spread.

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Basic Sanitation

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Access to and use of facilities and services for the safe disposal of human urine and feces. Improvements in sanitation reduce the spread of infectious diseases, particularly those transmitted via the fecal-oral route.

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Epidemic

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A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area. Understanding the shift from endemic to epidemic can help contain diseases before they become widespread.

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Incubation Period

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The time between exposure to the pathogen and the appearance of symptoms. This period affects when an individual becomes contagious and can influence the timing of disease control measures.

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Herd Immunity

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A form of indirect protection from infectious diseases that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immune.

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Pandemic

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An epidemic that has spread across several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people. Pandemics can lead to significant morbidity and mortality and require international cooperation to manage.

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Quarantine

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The restriction of activities and/or separation from others of susceptible individuals who are not ill, in a place and under conditions to prevent the possible spread of infection or contamination. Often used to contain the spread of an infectious disease.

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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

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The ability of microorganisms to withstand the effects of an antimicrobial medication. The spread of AMR can make treating infectious diseases difficult and lead to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality.

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Prevalence

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The total number of cases of a disease in a given population at a specific time. It provides a snapshot of the burden of disease in a population at a point in time.

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Mortality Rate

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A measure of the number of deaths in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time. It is a critical data point for gauging the severity of a disease.

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Contact Tracing

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The process of identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to a contagious disease. It aims to interrupt disease transmission and reduce spread by separating sick and healthy individuals.

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Seroprevalence

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The level of a pathogen in a population, as measured in blood serum. It is particularly useful in understanding the spread of blood-borne infections and immune status of a population.

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