Which term describes an infectious disease that has increased in the past 20 years or threatens to increase?

Which term describes an infectious disease that has increased in the past 20 years or threatens to increase?

• A. Epidemic
• B. Morbidity
• C. Emerging infectious disease
• D. Pandemic

Answer: (C)

Emerging infectious diseases are infections that have recently appeared in a population or are increasing rapidly in incidence. This term fits diseases that have risen in the past couple of decades or are expected to rise due to factors like new pathogens, changes in how people and animals interact, globalization, or antimicrobial resistance. That makes it the best choice for describing a disease whose incidence has grown or is likely to grow. By contrast, an epidemic is a surge of cases in a specific area, a pandemic is a widespread outbreak across large geographic areas or worldwide, and morbidity simply refers to the rate or level of illness in a population without implying any upward trend. Examples of emerging infectious diseases include SARS, MERS, Zika, and COVID-19.

Emerging infectious diseases are infections that have recently appeared in a population or are increasing rapidly in incidence. This term fits diseases that have risen in the past couple of decades or are expected to rise due to factors like new pathogens, changes in how people and animals interact, globalization, or antimicrobial resistance. That makes it the best choice for describing a disease whose incidence has grown or is likely to grow. By contrast, an epidemic is a surge of cases in a specific area, a pandemic is a widespread outbreak across large geographic areas or worldwide, and morbidity simply refers to the rate or level of illness in a population without implying any upward trend. Examples of emerging infectious diseases include SARS, MERS, Zika, and COVID-19.