Epidemiology

Literal Meaning

Epidemiology derived from greek

words
“epi”, “demos” & “ logos”
i.e.
epi = among,
demos = people &
logos = scientific study
 Cont…

It means the study of

health related events that
occurs among the people.
Definitions

“ The study of the distribution and

determinants of health-related
states or events in specified
populations, and the application of
this study to the control of health
problems ”
- John M Last
Cont…

In simple it is defined as the “

study of the occurrence,
distribution and causes of
disease in mankind ”
Concept of epidemiology

1. Disease frequency.

2. Distribution of disease.

3. Determinants of disease.
Scope of epidemiology

Communicable diseases.
Non-communicable diseases.
Negative effect of environment.
Positive effects of environment.
 Aims of epidemiology
According to International Epidemiological
Association (IEA), the aims are,

1. To describe the distribution & magnitude of

health & disease problems among human
population.

2. To identify etiological factor (risk factor ) in

the pathogenesis of disease.
 Cont…
3.To provide the data essential to the
planning, implementation &
evaluation of services for the
prevention, control & treatment
of disease & to the setting up of
priorities among those services.
 Cont…
But the ultimate aim is :

1. To eliminate or reduce the health

problem or its consequences
&
2. To promote the health &
wellbeing of society as a whole.
 Uses of epidemiology
1. Study of the history of disease
2. Assessment of individual risk.
3. Community diagnosis.
4. Planning.
5. Identification of syndrome.
6. Completion of the clinical picture of the
disease.
7. Searching for causes & risk factors.
8. Evaluation
Terminologies
used in
Epidemiology
 Infection

• The entry and development /

multiplication of an infectious
agent in the body of man or
animal.
 Contamination

The presence of an infectious

agent on a body surface ; also on
or in clothes, bedding, toys,
surgical instruments or dressings
or other inanimate articles or
substances including water , milk
and food.
 Infestation

For persons or animals the

lodgement, development and
reproduction of arthropods on
the surface of the body or in the
clothing. ( even the invasion of
parasite in to the gut.)
Eg . Tape worm infestation
 Host

A person or animal ,
including birds an arthropods
that affords substances or
lodgment to an infectious
agent under natural
conditions.
 Cont..
i.Definitive host:
• A host in which the parasite attains
maturity or passes its sexual stage ( also
called as primary host )
ii.Intermediatehost:
• A host in which the parasite is in a larval
or asexual stage.
iii.A transport host:
_ A host is a carrier in which the
organism remains alive but does not
undergo development.
 Infectious disease

A clinically manifest disease of

man or animal resulting from an
infection.
 Contagious disease

A disease that is transmitted

through contact.
Eg. Scabies,small pox,
STD.etc.
Small pox
 Communicable disease

An illness due to a specific

infectious agent or its toxic
products capable of being
directly or indirectly transmitted
from man to man , animal to
animal or from the environment
to man or animal.
Eg. Scabies
 Non communicable diseases

An illness which will not be

transferred from one person to
another.
 Epidemic ( out break )
The “unusual” occurrence of disease or
health related event in excess of
“expected occurrence” in a region.
 Endemic
It refers to the constant presence of a
disease or infectious agent within a
geographic area or population without
importation from outside.

Also referred as the “ usual” or “

expected” presence of the disease.
Eg. Endemic goitre
 Cont….
Hyper endemic:
It means that the disease is constantly
present at a high incidence and/or
prevelance rate and affects all age groups
equally.
Holoendemic:
A high level of infection beginning early
in life and affecting most of the child
population.
 Sporadic.
The cases occur irregularly,
haphazardly from time to time, and
generally infrequently. The cases
are so few and seperated widely in
space and time that they show little
or no connection hith each other.
Eg . Polio.
 Pandemic

An epidemic usually affecting a

large population , occurring
over a wide geographic area
such as a section of a nation or
entire nation.
-- Eg . HIV / AIDS
 Exotic

Diseases which are

imported in to a country
in which they do not
otherwise occur.
Zoonosis.
An infection or infectious disease
transmitted under natural condition
from vertibrate animal to man.
i. Anthroponoses:
• Infections transimitted to man from
vertibrate animals..eg. Rabies.
Plague.
 Cont…
ii.Zooanthroponoses:
infections transmited from man to
vertibrate animals. Eg. Human TB in
cattle.
iii.Amphixenoses:
• Infections maintained in both man and
lower vertibrate animals that may be
transmitted in either directions . Eg .T.
cruzi. S. Japonicum.
 Epizootic
An epidemic of disease in an animal
population ( often with the implication
that it may also affect human
population ).
Eg . Anthrax. Brucellosis. Q-fever etc.
 Epornithic

An epidemic of disease in a bird

population.
 Enzootic
An endemic occurring in animals .
Eg .anthrax. Rabies. Etc.
 Nosocomial infection

It is a hospital acquired infection,

where an infection originating in a
patient while in a hospital ( i.e.
unrelated to patient’s primary
condition)
Cont…
 Opportunistic infection

It is an infection by organisms, that

takes the opportunity provided by a
defect in host defence to infect the
host and hence cause disease.
Eg . Candidiasis in HIV / AIDS
 Iatrogenic infection
Any untoward or adverse consequence
of a preventive, diagnostic or
therapeutic regimen or procedure, that
causes impairment, handicap, disability
or death resulting from a physician’s
professional activity or from
professional activity of other health
professionals.
 Surveillance
It is defined as the continuous
scrutiny of the factors that determine
the occurrence and distribution of
disease and other conditions of ill
health. It includes the collection,
analysis, interpretation and
distribution of relevant data for
action.
 Incidence

It refers to the number of all

the new cases occurring in a
defined population during a
specified period time.
 Prevalence

It refers to all current cases

( old + new ) existing at
a given point in time or over
a period of time in a given
population.
Any questions ????????