Word Power: Epidemic or Pandemic?

Hello Friends! I am introducing a new segment of our blog which is called WORD POWER!. Whenever you see such posts, it surely tackles about unique words or expressions which you frequently read in medical articles, books and journals.

Being able to understand these words empowers you to read on medical articles without difficulty and keeps you on a competitive edge with other people. So here it is!

Most people tend to interchange the meaning between pandemic and epidemic. These two words are widely used in the medical field, specifially, in the world of microbiology.

With the advent of bird flu virus threat and other related infections, knowing how to distinguish the meaning and the relative differences of the two words will provide you greater advantage and clear understanding on every articles where these words were used.

Entries in Merriam Webster give clear distinctioin between the two words.

Main Entry: 1ep·i·dem·ic

Etymology: French épidémique, from Middle French, from epidemie, n., epidemic, from Late Latin epidemia, from Greek epidEmia visit, epidemic, from epidEmos visiting, epidemic, from epi- + dEmos people -- more at DEMAGOGUE

1 : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time

Main Entry: 1pan·dem·ic

Etymology: Late Latin pandemus, from Greek pandEmos of all the people, from pan- + dEmos people -- more at DEMAGOGUE

: occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population

For more information, please click on the Post Title Link to lead you to the website source. Thank you.

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A rather more helpful explanation is available in the site below. It cited the difference between endemi, epidemic and pandemic.

Endemic: a disease that exists permanently in a particular region or population. Malaria is a constant worry in parts of Africa.

Epidemic: An outbreak of disease that attacks many peoples at about the same time and may spread through one or several communities.

Pandemic: When an epidemic spreads throughout the world.

http://www.mansfieldct.org/schools/mms/staff/hand/immnotes.htm

Dictionary.com provides similar explanation:

Pandemic ultimately derives from Greek pandemos, of all the people, from pan-, all + demos, people

Usage: Difference between endemic, epidemic, and pandemic:

Endemic is peculiar to a district or particular locality, or class of persons ("diseases endemic to the tropics"). That which is epidemic is common to, or affecting at the same time, a large number in a community ("an epidemic outbreak of influenza"). Pandemic is epidemic over a wide geographical area.

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See! We are learning! Its nice to know all these stuff for it frees you from reading difficulties! Information is power! :) Keep on reading!

Julius