Disease Classifications
A disease outbreak that occurs in excess of what is normal in a community or region.
What is an epidemic?
One of the four factors in the epidemiology triangle representing the person who can get the disease.
What is the host?
The place where pathogens live and multiply; examples include food, water, and feces.
What is a reservoir?
Disease spread that occurs through immediate contact between infected and susceptible individuals.
What is direct transmission?
Preventing a disease or disorder before it happens.
What is primary prevention?
An ongoing presence of a disease in a community or region with consistent patterns from year to year.
What is endemic?
The factor in the epidemiology triangle that represents the pathogen or cause of disease.
What is the agent?
The path by which a pathogen leaves the reservoir, such as through skin via mosquito bite.
What is a portal of exit?
Disease spread that occurs through intermediate objects, vectors, or environmental factors.
What is indirect transmission?
Early detection and treatment of disease to prevent progression.
What is secondary prevention?
An epidemic that affects a region, country, or continent on a much larger scale.
What is pandemic?
The factor in the epidemiology triangle that includes external conditions affecting disease transmission.
What is the environment?
The path by which a pathogen enters a susceptible host's body.
What is a portal of entry?
Disease spread through living organisms like mosquitoes, as seen in dengue fever.
What is vector-borne transmission?
Prevention that requires behavioral change on the individual's part.
What is active primary prevention?
A type of outbreak where multiple people are exposed to the same source of infection.
What is a common-source epidemic?
The fourth factor in the epidemiology triangle that considers when and how long exposure occurs.
What is time?
The method by which a pathogen travels from the reservoir to the host.
What is a mode of transmission?
Disease spread through droplets or particles suspended in air.
What is airborne transmission?
Prevention measures like vaccination that don't require ongoing individual behavior changes.
What is passive primary prevention?
A type of outbreak that spreads from person to person through direct or indirect transmission.
What is a propagated epidemic?
The strategy that can help stop a disease outbreak according to the epidemiology triangle concept.
What is controlling any one factor?
The point at which disease transmission begins in the chain of infection.
What is when the pathogen leaves the reservoir?
Disease spread through contaminated inanimate objects like water, food, or medical equipment.
What is vehicle-borne transmission?
Treatment and rehabilitation to prevent complications and improve quality of life after disease occurs.
What is tertiary prevention?