Epidemics

INTRODUCTION
An epidemic (from Greek epi "upon or above" and demos "people") is the rapid
spread of infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short
period of time, usually two weeks or less.
For example, in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per
100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic.
Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by several factors including:

a change in the ecology of the host population (e.g. increased stress or increase in the
density of a vector species),

a genetic change in the pathogen reservoir or the introduction of an emerging

pathogen to a host population (by movement of pathogen or host).
Generally, an epidemic occurs when host immunity to either an established pathogen
or newly emerging novel pathogen is suddenly reduced below that found in the endemic
equilibrium and the transmission threshold is exceeded.

An epidemic may be restricted to one location however, if it spreads to other countries or

continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic.
The declaration of an epidemic usually requires a good understanding of a baseline
rate of incidence epidemics for certain diseases, such as influenza, are defined as reaching
some defined increase in incidence above this baseline.
A few cases of a very rare disease may be classified as an epidemic, while many cases
of a common disease (such as the common cold) would not.

CAUSES
Increased virulence
Introduction into a novel setting

Changes in host susceptibility to the infectious agent

The conditions which govern the outbreak of epidemics include:

infected food supplies such as contaminated drinking water and,
the migration of populations of certain animals, such as rats or mosquitoes,
which can act as disease vectors.
Certain epidemics occur at certain seasons:
1. for example, whoopingcough occurs in spring,
2. whereas measles produces two epidemics, one in winter and one in March.
3. Influenza, the common cold, and other infections of the upper respiratory tract, such as
sore throat, occur predominantly in the winter.
There is another variation, both as regards the number of people affected and the number
who die in successive epidemics:
1. the severity of successive epidemics rises and,
2. falls over periods of five or ten years.

TYPES
Common source outbreak
In a common source outbreak, the affected individuals had an exposure to a common
agent. If the exposure is singular and all of the affected individuals develop the disease over a
single exposure and incubation course, it can be termed a point source outbreak. If the
exposure was continuous or variable, it can be termed a continuous outbreak or intermittent
outbreak, respectively.

Propagated outbreak
In a propagated outbreak, the disease spreads persontoperson. Affected individuals
may become independent reservoirs leading to further exposures.
Many epidemics will have characteristics of both common source and
propagated outbreaks. For example, secondary persontoperson spread may occur after a
common source exposure or an environmental vectors may spread a zoonotic diseases agent.

Pests

INTRODUCTION
A pest is "a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (as agriculture
or livestock production)"
alternative meanings include organisms that cause nuisance and epidemic disease
associated with high mortality.
In its broadest sense, a pest is a competitor of humanity. In the past, the term might
have been used for detrimental animals only, thus for example, causing confusion where the
generic term "pesticide meant "insecticide" to some people.

The term pest may be used to refer specifically to harmful animals but is also often
taken to mean all harmful organisms including weeds, plant pathogenic fungi and viruses.
Pesticides are chemicals and other agents (e.g. beneficial microorganisms) that are used to
control or protect other organisms from pests.
The related term vermin has much overlap with pest, but generally only includes those
creatures that are seen to be vectors of diseases.

It is possible for an animal to be a pest in one setting but beneficial or domesticated in

another :
(for example, European rabbits introduced to Australia caused ecological damage
beyond the scale they inflicted in their natural habitat).
Many weeds (plant pests) are also seen as useful under certain conditions, for
instance Patterson's curse is often valued as food for honeybees and as a wildflower, even
though it can poison livestock.

CLASSIFICATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Insects
Nematodes
Parasites
Gastropods
Invasive Plant Species and Weeds
Birds like:
Pigeons
Crows
Common Myna is IUCN declared most invasive species.
7. Mammals like:
Mice, rats and other rodents
Big Cats
Rabbits
Foxes, raccoons and bears
Coyotes
Vampire bats