What is an outbreak in epidemiology?
Introduction. An outbreak is essentially the same thing as an epidemic, i.e., an increased frequency of a disease above the usual rate (endemic rate) in a given population or geographic area. Pandemic refers to simultaneous epidemics occurring in multiple locations across the globe.
When is an illness considered an outbreak?
An outbreak is when an illness happens in unexpected high numbers. It may stay in one area or extend more widely. An outbreak can last days or years. Sometimes, experts consider a single case of a contagious disease to be an outbreak.
What does Outbreak mean?
1a : a sudden or violent increase in activity or currency the outbreak of war. b : a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease an outbreak of measles.
Which of the following describes the term outbreak?
In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease in a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent. Four linked cases of a rare infectious disease may be sufficient to constitute an outbreak.
How do you identify an epidemic?
An outbreak with multiple sick people can be missed if they are spread out over a wide area. Outbreaks are detected by using public health surveillance methods, including PulseNet, formal reports of illnesses, and informal reports of illnesses.
Where did Ebola start in the world?
Emergence of Ebola in Humans The first outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in a village near the Ebola River, which gave the virus its name. The second outbreak occurred in what is now South Sudan, approximately 500 miles (850 km) away.
How does the body fight off Ebola?
The particularly aggressive nature of Ebola virus stems from its ability to rapidly disarm the infected person’s immune system by blocking the development of a virus-specific adaptive immune response. White blood cells are an important part of our immune system.
What body systems are affected by Ebola?
Multi-system collapse ﬔe virus attacks immune cells in the bloodstream, which carry the infection to the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Ebola blocks the release of interferon, a protein made by immune cells for fighting viruses.
Does Ebola liquify your organs?
Ebola is a deadly disease caused by a virus. There are five strains, and four of them can make people sick. After entering the body, it kills cells, making some of them explode. It wrecks the immune system, causes heavy bleeding inside the body, and damages almost every organ.