Disease Detectives Flashcards

Question

Epidemiology Terms: Prevalence (of an illness)

Answer 1

The number of affected persons in the population at any given point in time. It is expressed as "X cases/Y population". Note: There are two major ways in which prevalence is measured: period prevalence and point prevalence. Think of point prevalence as a snapshot of the population and its rate of a certain disease at a point in time while period prevalence tracks the prevalence over a certain duration. Note the only difference is that incidence (I) includes time while prevalence (P) does not. Time (D) reflects the duration of the illness or condition. If two conditions have the same incidence in a population, the one with the longer duration will have the greater prevalence. Importantly, P = I*D, so with two of the variables, it is possible to solve for the third.

Answer 2

Humans are also capable of spreading disease following a period of illness, typically thinking themselves cured of the disease

Answer 3

When an individual transmits pathogens immediately following infection but prior to developing symptoms

Answer 4

Someone who can transmit a disease for a long period of time

Answer 5

Has inherited a disease trait but shows no symptoms

Answer 6

Someone who can transmit an infectious disease for a short amount of time

Answer 7

Intervention at the very beginning to avoid the development of risk factors the population may be exposed to. Often deals with changing physical and social environments. Note: In Disease Detectives scenarios, event supervisors will often ask you to brainstorm disease prevention methods. Even if you know very little about the disease, you can brainstorm ideas from the chain of infection for the disease. For example, if the chain of infection describes that a disease is comes in contact with humans through sand at the beach and enters the body through any openings (mouth, nose, etc.), a prevention method could be putting up signs at beaches reminding the public to wash their hands before consuming any food.

Answer 8

Early intervention to avoid initial exposure to agent of disease preventing the process from starting. Note: In Disease Detectives scenarios, event supervisors will often ask you to brainstorm disease prevention methods. Even if you know very little about the disease, you can brainstorm ideas from the chain of infection for the disease. For example, if the chain of infection describes that a disease is comes in contact with humans through sand at the beach and enters the body through any openings (mouth, nose, etc.), a prevention method could be putting up signs at beaches reminding the public to wash their hands before consuming any food.

Answer 9

During the latent stage (when the disease has just begun), process of screening and instituting treatment may prevent progression to symptomatic disease. Note: In Disease Detectives scenarios, event supervisors will often ask you to brainstorm disease prevention methods. Even if you know very little about the disease, you can brainstorm ideas from the chain of infection for the disease. For example, if the chain of infection describes that a disease is comes in contact with humans through sand at the beach and enters the body through any openings (mouth, nose, etc.), a prevention method could be putting up signs at beaches reminding the public to wash their hands before consuming any food.

Answer 10

During the symptomatic stage (when the patient shows symptoms), intervention may arrest, slow, or reverse the progression of disease. Note: In Disease Detectives scenarios, event supervisors will often ask you to brainstorm disease prevention methods. Even if you know very little about the disease, you can brainstorm ideas from the chain of infection for the disease. For example, if the chain of infection describes that a disease is comes in contact with humans through sand at the beach and enters the body through any openings (mouth, nose, etc.), a prevention method could be putting up signs at beaches reminding the public to wash their hands before consuming any food.

Answer 11

Set of health activities to mitigate or avoid consequences of unnecessary/excessive intervention of the health system. Social credit that legitimizes medical intervention may be damaged if doctors don't prevent unnecessary medical activity and its consequences. Note: In Disease Detectives scenarios, event supervisors will often ask you to brainstorm disease prevention methods. Even if you know very little about the disease, you can brainstorm ideas from the chain of infection for the disease. For example, if the chain of infection describes that a disease is comes in contact with humans through sand at the beach and enters the body through any openings (mouth, nose, etc.), a prevention method could be putting up signs at beaches reminding the public to wash their hands before consuming any food.

Answer 12

Occurs when the person is exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and becomes immune as a result of the primary immune response.

Answer 13

Short-term immunization by the injection of antibodies, such as gamma globulin, that are not produced by the recipient's cells. Naturally acquired passive immunity occurs during pregnancy, in which certain antibodies are passed from the maternal into the fetal bloodstream.

Answer 14

Protecting a whole community from disease by immunizing a critical mass of its populace. Vaccination protects more than just the vaccinated person. By breaking the chain of an infection’s transmission, vaccination can also protect people who haven’t been immunized. But to work, this protection requires that a certain percentage of people in a community be vaccinated.

Answer 15

A microbial organism with the ability to cause disease.

Answer 16

A place where agents can thrive and reproduce.

Answer 17

A place of exit providing a way for an agent to leave the reservoir; the route a pathogen takes out of an infected host. Portals of exit tend to be fairly well defined. What serve as portals of exit are often not terribly surprising, at least, once something is known of how and where a pathogen replicates and enters new hosts. Respiratory infections tend to utilize the mouth and nose as portals of exit. Gastrointestinal diseases tend to exit in feces or saliva, depending on the site of replication. Sexually transmitted diseases tend to have portals of exit at the urethra or genital region. Blood-borne diseases tend to exit via arthropods, needles, bleeding, or hyperdermic syringes. A more general portal of exit occurs when an infected animal is butchered or an infected person undergoes surgery. The three most common portals of exit are the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract.

Answer 18

Method of transfer by which the organism moves or is carried from one place to another; the transfer of disease-causing microorganisms from one environment to another, particularly from an external environment to a susceptible individual. There are three general categories of transmission: contact, vehicle, and vector.

Answer 19

An opening allowing the microorganism to enter the host; the route a pathogen takes to enter a host. Just as with the portals of exit, many pathogens have preferred portals of entry. Many pathogens are not able to cause disease if their usual portal of entry is artificially bypassed. The most common portal of entry is the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

Answer 20

A being who cannot resist a microorganism invading the body, multiplying, and resulting in infection.

Disease Detectives Flashcards

(44 cards)