Biohazards

• what are biohazards?

  hazards caused by exposure to living organisms and their toxic substances or vector borne diseases that organisms may carry
• what must a potential biohazard do to become a natural hazard?

  greatly exceed human expectation in terms of magnitude or frequency, causing major hardship or negative economic impact
• what are the three classifications of diseases caused by microorganisms?

  endemic, epidemic and pandemic
• what is an endemic?

  low level constant presence of a disease or infection within a geographic area - does not exceed human expectations of magnitude and frequency
• what is an epidemic?

  an often very sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area
• what is a pandemic?

  an epidemic that has spread over several counties or continents, affecting large numbers of people
• which of the following fit the definition of a natural hazard: endemic, epidemic and pandemic?

  epidemic and pandemic
• name six of the transmission pathways by which a disease can move by?

  airborne, blood and other body fluids, vector borne, food borne, zoonotic and water borne
• give an example of an airborne pandemic?

  the great influenza pandemic of 1918 - 1920
• give an example of a blood transmitted pandemic?

  HIV and AIDS
• give an example of a vector borne pandemic?

  the Black Death
• what does zoonotic mean?

  it comes from an animal to a human
• what is the most common example of a zoonotic disease?

  rabies
• give an example of a disease which is seen in animals which provide human food?

  foot and mouth disease