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Flashcards in Epidemiology Deck (14)
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1
Q

What is epidemiology?

A

Study of disease in populations

2
Q

What do epidemiologists do?

A
  • Limit effects of disease in a population
  • Reduce/ control amount of disease
  • Protect populations from disease
3
Q

What is an endemic disease?

A

Commonly found in, or restricted to a particular region, community or group of people
R0<1 (average number of cases infected by primary case less than 1)

4
Q

What is an epidemic disease?

A

Level of disease in a population significantly greater than usual
R0>1

5
Q

What does R0 mean?

A

Reproduction or transmissibility rate

6
Q

What is meant by odds ratio?

A
  • Odds of the disease in the exposed group compared with odds of the disease in the unexpected group
    OR<1 (not associated with disease)
    OR>1 (associated with disease)
7
Q

What is meant by relative risk?

A

Ratio of risk of disease in exposed group to risk of disease in unexposed group
RF<1 (not associated with disease)
RF>1 (associated with disease)

8
Q

What sub typing genetic tests can be used in epidemiological studies?

A
  • PCR
  • DNA sequencing
  • designed to detect and identify pathogen genetic material
9
Q

What are the advantages of typing methods?

A
  • Increased sensitivity/ specificity of diagnosis
  • Faster tests
  • Good for M.bovis/ prions (things hard to culture)
  • Outbreaks can be detected/ therefore controlled at an earlier stage
  • Can identify carriers
10
Q

What is meant by disease eradication?

A
  • Complete eradication of disease, or disease agent from a region
11
Q

What environmental measures can you put in place to decrease pathogen transmission?

A
  • Restriction of host movement
  • Quarantine/ isolation
  • Control of vectors (e.g. ticks)
  • Biosecurity
12
Q

What disease controls can you apply to the host?

A
  • Vaccination

- Modification of host resistance (e.g. the national scrapie plan -resistant genotypes)

13
Q

Describe the different methods of disease eradication

A
  • Test/ removal: animals testing positive and slaughtered
  • Pre-emptive: animals exposed to infection are slaughtered
  • Blanket culling: animals on contiguous premises surrounding infected farm are culled.
  • Stamping out: combination of one of the above measures
14
Q

List different groups involved in an outbreak control team

A
  • LA environmental health
  • PHE
  • FSA
  • APHA