The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) provide the following primer to help infection preventionists differentiate between outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics:
What is an outbreak?An outbreak is a sudden rise in the number of cases of a disease. An outbreak may occur in a community or geographical area, or may affect several countries. It may last for a few days or weeks, or even for several years.
Some outbreaks are expected each year, such as influenza. Sometimes a single case of an infectious disease may be considered an outbreak. This may be true if the disease is rare (e.g., foodborne botulism) or has serious public health implications (e.g., bioterrorism agent such as anthrax).
Some outbreaks are expected each year, such as influenza. Sometimes a single case of an infectious disease may be considered an outbreak. This may be true if the disease is rare (e.g., foodborne botulism) or has serious public health implications (e.g., bioterrorism agent such as anthrax).
What is an epidemic?An epidemic occurs when an infectious disease spreads rapidly to many people. In 2003, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic took the lives of nearly 800 people worldwide.
What is a pandemic?A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. It differs from an outbreak or epidemic because it:
• affects a wider geographical area, often worldwide.
• infects a greater number of people than an epidemic.
• is often caused by a new virus or a strain of virus that has not circulated among people for a long time. Humans usually have little to no immunity against it. The virus spreads quickly from person-to-person worldwide.
• causes much higher numbers of deaths than epidemics.
• often creates social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship.
• affects a wider geographical area, often worldwide.
• infects a greater number of people than an epidemic.
• is often caused by a new virus or a strain of virus that has not circulated among people for a long time. Humans usually have little to no immunity against it. The virus spreads quickly from person-to-person worldwide.
• causes much higher numbers of deaths than epidemics.
• often creates social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship.
The influenza (flu) pandemic of 1918-1919 killed between 20 and 40 million people. It is one of the most devastating pandemics in recorded world history. 2009 H1N1 influenza was a more recent global pandemic.
While an influenza pandemic is rare, they do reoccur periodically. Some pandemics are worse than others.
While an influenza pandemic is rare, they do reoccur periodically. Some pandemics are worse than others.
Public health experts say it’s not a matter of IF a flu pandemic will happen, but WHEN. It is essential to be prepared.
Pandemic preparationHere are a few things you can do:
No comments:
Post a Comment