Lecture 1: Intro, Public Health, Surveillance Flashcards
List the types of infectious agents.
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Parasites
- Proteins
Define emerging infectious diseases.
Infectious diseases that are newly recognized in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range
Define re-emerging infectious diseases.
Diseases that once were major health problems globally or in a particular country, and then declined dramatically, but are again becoming health problems for a significant proportion of the population
Explain novel pathogens causing novel diseases.
- May or may not be increasing in incidence or geographic range
- Diseases can be difficult to ID at first bc
- Unusual clinical presentations
- Tests are unavailable - Ex. SARS-Cov-2
Explain novel pathogens/strains causing known diseases.
- May have typical clinical presentations but lab results are inconclusive, atypical, or negative
- Antimicrobial resistant organisms - may be considered re-emerging
- Ex. Influenza A H1H1
Explain typical pathogens causing known diseases.
Known diseases that are increasing in incidence or geographic range (for the first time or re-emerging)
- Ex. Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
What percent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin?
75%
Emerging _____ diseases/infections are the biggest threat.
Viruses (especially RNA viruses because they evolve quickly)
Emerging _____ diseases/infections are the most common.
Bacteria
Why has the focus on infectious diseases shifted away?
Because of the discovery of antibiotics, better public health measures, and vaccines
List the 10 drivers of emerging diseases.
- Changes in land use or agricultural practices
- Changes in human demographics and society
- Poor population health
- Hospitals and medical procedures
- Pathogen evolution
- Contamination of food sources or water supplies
- International travel
- Failure of public health programs
- International trade
- Climate change
Since 1973, more than _____ infectious diseases emerged.
40
What are the burdens of infectious diseases?
- Currently one of the leading causes of death worldwide
- Economic impacts
Define public health.
The science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities
What are the jobs of the WHO?
- Promote global health
- Collaborate with various labs and public health departments
- Epidemiological and statistical services
- Respond to emergencies
- Provide resources and training for control, surveillance, and prevention
- Provide information about diseases and outbreaks