Epidemic

Epidemic
More than the expected number of cases of disease occurring in a community or region during a given period of time. A sudden severe outbreak within a region or a group as, for example, AIDS in Africa or AIDS in intravenous drug users. By contrast: {{}}An endemic is present in a community at all times but in low frequency. An endemic is continuously present, as in the case of malaria in some areas of the world or as with illicit drugs in some neighborhoods. A pandemic occurs when an epidemic becomes very widespread and affects a whole region, a continent, or the entire world. The word "epidemic" comes from the Greek "epi-", "upon" + "demos", "people or population" = "epidemos" = "upon the population." An epidemic is visited upon the people. By contrast, "en-" means "in." An endemic is in the people. And "pan-" means "all." A pandemic affects all the people.
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The occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness, specific health-related behavior, or other health-related events clearly in excess of normal expectancy; the word also is used to describe outbreaks of disease in animals or plants. Cf.:endemic, sporadic. [epi- + G. demos, the people]
- behavioral e. an e. originating in behavioral patterns (in contrast to invading microorganisms); examples include medieval dancing mania, episodes of crowd panic.
- point e. an e. where a pronounced clustering of cases of disease occurs within a very short period of time (within a few days or even hours) due to exposure of persons or animals to a common source of infection such as food or water.

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ep·i·dem·ic .ep-ə-'dem-ik also ep·i·dem·i·cal -i-kəl adj
1) affecting or tending to affect an atypically large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time <typhoid was \epidemic> compare ENDEMIC, SPORADIC
2) of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic <coronary disease...has hit \epidemic proportions (Herbert Ratner)>
ep·i·dem·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adv
epidemic n
1) an outbreak of epidemic disease
2) a natural population (as of insects) suddenly and greatly enlarged

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n.
a sudden outbreak of infectious disease that spreads rapidly through the population, affecting a large proportion of people. The commonest epidemics today are of influenza. Compare endemic, pandemic.
• epidemic adj.

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ep·i·dem·ic (ep″ĭ-demґik) [Gr. epidēmios prevalent] occurring suddenly in numbers clearly in excess of normal expectancy; said especially of infectious diseases but applied also to any disease, injury, or other health-related event occurring in such outbreaks. Cf. endemic and sporadic.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Epidemic — Ep i*dem ic, Epidemical Ep i*dem ic*al, a. [L. epidemus, Gr. ?, ?, among the people, epidemic; ? in + ? people: cf. F. [ e]pid[ e]mique. Cf. {Demagogue}.] 1. (Med.) Common to, or affecting at the same time, a large number in a community; applied… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Epidemic — est un film danois réalisé par Lars von Trier, sorti en 1987. C est le deuxième volet de sa trilogie Europe (les 2 autres volets étant: Element of Crime et Europa). Sommaire 1 Synopsis 2 Fiche technique 3 Distribution …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Epidemic — Ep i*dem ic, n. [Cf. {Epidemy}.] 1. (Med.) An epidemic disease. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything which takes possession of the minds of people as an epidemic does of their bodies; as, an epidemic of terror. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • epidemic — EPIDÉMIC, Ă, epidemici, ce adj. (Despre unele boli) Cu caracter de epidemie; contagios, molipsitor. – Din fr. épidémique. Trimis de viomih, 10.05.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  epidémic adj. m., pl. epidémici; f. sg. epidémică …   Dicționar Român

  • epidemic — (adj.) c.1600, from Fr. épidémique, from épidemié an epidemic disease, from M.L. epidemia, from Gk. epidemia prevalence of an epidemic disease (especially the plague), from epi among, upon (see EPI (Cf. epi )) + demos people, district (see… …   Etymology dictionary

  • epidemic — [adj] widespread catching, communicable, contagious, endemic, general, infectious, pandemic, prevailing, prevalent, rampant, rife, sweeping, wide ranging; concepts 314,537 Ant. limited epidemic [n] widespread disease contagion, endemic, growth,… …   New thesaurus

  • epidemic — ► NOUN 1) a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. 2) a sudden, widespread occurrence of something undesirable. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to or of the nature of an epidemic. ORIGIN Greek epid mia, from… …   English terms dictionary

  • epidemic — [ep΄ə dem′ik] adj. [Fr épidémique < MFr < ML epidemicus < epidemia < Gr epidēmia < epidēmios, among the people, general < epi , EPI + dēmos, people: see DEMOCRACY] prevalent and spreading rapidly among many individuals in a… …   English World dictionary

  • epidemic — index contagious, disease, far reaching, general, pestilent, predominant, prevailing (current), preva …   Law dictionary

  • Epidemic —    Drame de Lars von Trier, avec Lars von Trier, Niels Vörsel, Udo Kier.   Pays: Danemark   Date de sortie: 1987   Technique: noir et blanc   Durée: 1 h 46    Résumé    En écrivant un scénario relatant les aventures d un médecin lors de la grande …   Dictionnaire mondial des Films

  • Epidemic — For other uses, see Epidemic (disambiguation). In epidemiology, an epidemic (επι (epi) meaning upon or above and δεμος (demos) meaning people ), occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period,… …   Wikipedia

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