Sporadic
Sporadic
Sporadic (/spəˈrædɪk/; from the Greek word "σποραδικός" meaning "scattered") refers to an event or phenomenon that occurs occasionally, irregularly, or in scattered instances. In the field of medicine, the term is often used to describe a disease or condition that appears at irregular intervals or only in a few places.
Etymology
The term "sporadic" originates from the Greek word "σποραδικός" (sporadikos), which means "scattered". It was first used in English in the mid-17th century to describe diseases that occur in scattered instances.
Medical Usage
In medical terminology, "sporadic" is used to describe a disease or condition that is seen only occasionally, or that occurs in a random or isolated manner. This is in contrast to diseases that are endemic, epidemic, or pandemic, which occur regularly or over a wide area. Sporadic diseases may be caused by environmental factors, genetic mutations, or unknown causes.
Examples of sporadic diseases include certain types of cancer, such as sporadic breast cancer and sporadic colorectal cancer, and certain neurological disorders, such as sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Related Terms
- Endemic: A disease or condition that is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.
- Epidemic: A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
- Pandemic: An epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents, or worldwide.
- Genetic mutation: A permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene.
- Environmental factor: Any factor, abiotic or biotic, that influences living organisms.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sporadic
- Wikipedia's article - Sporadic
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