Epidemic curve
Epidemic curve
The Epidemic curve (pronounced: eh-pi-deh-mik kurv) is a statistical chart used in epidemiology to visualize the onset of a disease outbreak. It can help to identify the mode of spread and the disease's incubation period.
Etymology
The term "Epidemic curve" is derived from the Greek words "epi" (upon), "demos" (people), and the Latin word "curvus" (bent). It refers to the graphical representation of the number of disease cases over a specific period.
Definition
An Epidemic curve, often referred to as an epi curve, plots the frequency of new cases over time based on the onset of disease symptoms. This graphical representation helps to understand the dynamics of the disease outbreak, including the outbreak's magnitude, trend, and duration.
Components
The Epidemic curve consists of several components:
- Time: The x-axis represents the time of onset of the disease. It can be in hours, days, weeks, or months, depending on the disease's incubation period.
- Number of Cases: The y-axis represents the number of new cases during a specific time period.
- Shape: The shape of the curve can provide information about the type of outbreak, whether it is point source, continuous common source, or propagated.
Related Terms
- Incubation period: The time between exposure to the disease and the onset of symptoms.
- Outbreak: A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in the population in that area.
- Epidemiology: The study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Epidemic curve
- Wikipedia's article - Epidemic curve
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