Unit 4 8A: Emergence, Re-emergence and Disease control Flashcards
Recap
Disease
Any condition that affects the normal function of either a part of an organism or the complete organism
Infection
When a pathogen has breached the first line of defence and has begun to replicate
Virulence
How likely a pathogen is to cause harm/disease
Contagious
Describes a pathogen that is able to spread from an infected person to others
Fatality
In terms of the nature of organisms
The occurrence of death
Epidemiologist
Professional who studies the occurrence of diseases in a population
Infectious
Able to be transmitted between hosts
Emerging Infectious disease
A disease not yet seen in people, or a disease that is increasing in incidence or geographical range
Re-emerging infectious disease
A disease that appears again after having previously been eliminated
Indirect transmission
Transmission of a pathogen from a location where it has been away from its host for a long time
Selection pressure
The conditions or factors that influence allele frequencies in a population by contributing to the selection of which phenotypes survive in a given environment.
Examples of selection pressure
Factors which influence allele frequencies
availability of resources, environmental conditions, predators and disease
Reservoir
Original or usual site of a disease in relation to its spread
Transmission
How a pathogen is passed between hosts
Scientific Containment of disease
Medical processes and procedures used to control and prevent pathogen transmission
(e.g. RAT)
