Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Infectious Disease Modeling

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Infectious Disease Modeling 1. Epidemic vs. Pandemic The terms 'epidemic' and 'pandemic' are often used in the context of disease outbreaks, but they have distinct meanings. An epidemic refers to the rapid spread of a disease within a specific community or region. On the other hand, a pandemic is a global outbreak, affecting multiple countries or continents. So, while all pandemics are epidemics, not all epidemics are pandemics. 2. Incidence vs. Prevalence When we talk about the occurrence of a disease, we often use the terms 'incidence' and 'prevalence.' Incidence refers to the number of new cases of a disease within a specific time period. It gives us an idea of how quickly the disease is spreading. Prevalence, on the other hand, refers to the total number of cases, both new and existing, at a given point in time. It gives us an overall picture of the disease burden in a population. 3. Sensitivity vs. Specificity In diagnostic testing, we often come across the terms 'sensitivity' and 'specificity.' Sensitivity refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals who have the disease. It tells us how good the test is at ruling in true positives. Specificity, on the other hand, refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals who do not have the disease. It tells us how good the test is at ruling out true negatives.