Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the scientific study (by epidemiologists) of those influences that govern and affect the occurrence and pattern of spread of illness, and other health phenomena, and their etiologies, for a specific population. The aim of this science is to find initiatives that can prevent and stymie the progression and propagation of these diseases, and associated phenomena .

Terms

• attack rate
• basic reproductive number (R0)
• case fatality rate
• effective reproductive number (R)
• endemic
• epidemic
• host
• incidence
• incubation period
• mortality rate
• opportunistic infection
• outbreak
• pandemic
• pathogen
• prevalence
• surveillance
• syndemic
• transmission
• vector
• zoonosis

History and etymology

The term epidemiology is derived from the roots 'epidemic' and '-logy'. Epidemic is ultimately derived from the Classical Greek, ἐπί (epi) meaning "near/upon/above" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "people". '-logy' is a combining form meaning the scientific study of, itself ultimately derived from the Greek word λογος (logos) meaning word .