Dictionary (Maryland Flu Watch)

Dictionary

Here is a list of useful terms and definitions. While we try to keep the reports as free of technical jargon as we can, some terms still need some clarification.

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Term	Definition
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Disease Surveillance	The systemic collection, analysis, and dissemination of data to monitor and react to the impact of a disease.
Incidence	New cases of a disease/condition in a population during a given time period.
Influenza-like Illness (ILI)	A fever greater than 100ºF plus a cough or sore throat (in the absence of a known cause other than influenza)
Pathogenic / Pathogenicity	The ability of an organism (virus, bacteria) to cause disease.
PCR	Polymerase Chain Reaction, a laboratory test used to detect genetic material (DNA or RNA) of a specific organism.
Prevalence	The existing number of cases of a disease/condition in a population at a given time.
Virulent / Virulence	The degree of disease caused by an organism.

Showing 7 items