Epidemiology
Epidemiology
A field of science that studies heath problems within populations
Infectious Agent
cause of disease
Active Carrier
individual who has been exposed to and harbors a disease-causing organism, and has for some time
Primary Prevention
Prevents an illness or injury from occurring at all
Airborne Transmission
droplets or dust particles carry pathogen to host and cause infection
Descriptive Epidemiology
describes characterization of the distribution of health-related states or events.
Host
human or animal that is susceptible to disease
Passive Carrier
an individual who harbors a pathogen and is asymptomatic/not ill
Secondary prevention
early detection and minimizing severity
Direct transmission
uninterrupted and immediate transfer of an infectious agent from one person to another
Endemic
ongoing, usual, or constant presence of a disease in a community or among a group of people in a region
Reservoir
the habitat in or on which an infectious agent lives, grows, and multiplies, and which it depends on for survival
Intermittent Carrier
individual who harbors a pathogen and can spread disease in different places
Active Primary Prevention
Prevention requiring action of the individual
Indirect transmission
an agent is transferred or carried by some item or process to a host
Epidemiology triangle
shows the interaction and interdependence of the host, environment, and time.
Portal of entry
means of pathogen entering body of a host
Incubatory Carrier
individual who harbors a pathogen, is in the beginning stages of disease, and can transmit disease
Passive primary prevention
prevention not requiring action of individual
Mechanical transmission
pathogen uses host for ride to nourish itself, or as part of a physical transfer process
Analytic Epidemiology
involves finding and quantifying associations, testing hypothesis, and identifying causes of health-related states or events
Portal of exit
pathogen leaves the reservoir and is spread
Convalescent carrier
individual who harbors a pathogen and who although in the recovery phase is still infectious
Tertiary Prevention
minimizes disability, while treating and rehabbing.
Vector-borne transmission
an arthropod conveys infectious agent