Which disease may spread as an epidemic or pandemic?why?

A number of communicable diseases can constitute

significant threats at local, regional or global levels

leading to epidemics or pandemics. An epidemic

refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number

of cases of an infectious disease above what is

normally expected in a given population in a specific

area. Examples of major epidemics include cholera

and diarrhoeal diseases, measles, malaria, and

dengue fever. A pandemic is an epidemic of infec-

tious disease that spreads through human popula-

tions across a large region, multiple continents or

globally. These are diseases that infect humans

and can spread easily. Pandemics become disasters

when they cause large numbers of deaths, as well

as illness, and/or have severe social and economic

impacts. Concerns exist about potential pandemic

diseases including new strains of influenza, such as

severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle

East respiratory syndrome (MERS) to which humans

may not have immunity. In the past, pandemics

have included cholera, smallpox, leprosy, measles,

polio and yellow fever.

• Epidemics and pandemics can be:

• Airborne: transmitted by air and droplets, for ex-

ample, flu, measles, SARS, MERS;

• blood and/or body fluids borne: transmitted

through contact, including blood transfusion,

mother to child in utero, and sexual activity, for

example, Ebola virus, HIV;

• waterborne: transmitted by water, for example,

cholera;

• zoonotic: transmitted between animals and peo-

ple, by direct and indirect contact, for example,

viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi;

• vector-borne: transmitted by being bitten by

mosquitos, fleas, ticks etc., for example, malaria,

dengue, plague; and

• food-borne: transmitted by preparing and eating

food, for example, salmonella, listeria and hepa-

titis A.

Epidemics and pandemics can be prevented and

mitigated through a range of household and commu-

nity measures, such as:

• good hygiene and sanitation

• access to clean water

• handwashing

• vaccination

• use of antiviral medications

• social distancing

• good clinical practice

• proactive surveillance

• early warning systems

• vector control

• access to safe food.