Levels of Disease
A disease occurring occasionally or at irregular intervals of time in a few geographical places.
What is sporadic?
Model of disease causation that helps us understand the interrelated nature of factors that contribute to disease.
What is an epidemiology triangle?
A diagram showing the process through which infectious disease transmission occurs.
What is the chain of infection?
A direct and immediate transfer of an infectious agent from one person to another.
What is direct transmission?
Preventing a disease or disorder before it happens.
What is primary prevention?
The constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease in a population within a geographic area.
What is endemic?
An organism, usually a human or an animal, that harbors the disease.
What is a host?
The habitat in which the agent normally lives, grows, and multiplies (Ex: humans or monkeys).
What are reservoirs?
When an infectious agent is transferred or carried by some intermediate item, organism, or process to a susceptible host, resulting in disease.
What is an indirect transmission?
Requires behavior change on the individual.
What is active primary prevention?
More than an expected increase in the number of endemic cases within a limited geographical area.
What is an outbreak?
The cause of the disease.
What is an infectious agent?
The way the infectious agent leaves the reservoir (Ex: nose or mouth).
What is the portal of exit?
When droplets or dust particles carry the pathogen to the host and cause infection.
What is an airborne transmission?
Aimed at the health screening and detection activities used to identify disease.
What is secondary prevention?
A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected within a population in that area.
What is an epidemic?
Surroundings and conditions external to the host that cause or allow disease transmission.
What is the environment?
The movement or the transmission of pathogens from a reservoir to a susceptible host.
What is the mode of transmission?
When an arthropod (ex: mosquito, flea, tick, or lice) conveys the infection agent.
What is a vector-borne transmission?
Limiting any disability by providing rehabilitation when disease, injury, or disorder has already occurred and caused damage.
What is tertiary prevention?
An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.
What is a pandemic?
The incubation period, life expectancy of the host or the pathogen, and duration of the course of the illness or condition.
What is time?
The manner in which a pathogen enters a susceptible host (ex: mucous membrane or open wound) and infects the host if the host is susceptible.
What is the portal of entry?
Food, water, biologic products, and fomites that may indirectly transmit an infectious agent.
What is a vehicle-borne transmission?
Any attempt to restore an afflicted person to a useful, productive, and satisfying lifestyle.
What is rehabilitation?