Descriptive Epidemiology Variables
Type of EmergenceThe explanation as to why this event is considered an emergence event.
- New or Expanding Region:
The pathogen appeared in a region that is significantly distant from any other regions it is found in, or the geographic range of the pathogen showed marked expansion
- Increasing Incidence:
There was a marked increase in incidence of the pathogen
- New or Increasing Drug Resistance:
The pathogen displayed a novel drug resistance, or a rare drug resistance was observed to be increasing in incidence or geographic range
- Earliest instance of natural human infection:
This event pertains to the earliest confirmed case(s) of human infection associated with a given microorganism
- Increasing Virulence:
The pathogen showed a marked increase in virulence
- Reappearance After Control or Elimination:
The pathogen reappeared for the first time after a significant period of no cases
- Expanding Host Range:
The pathogen infected a new host, such as a human
The date of the onset of the event.
Start Date DescriptionThe context of the start date.
- Illness onset
- First case presented to official
- First report
- First date of study
- First pathogen isolation
- Treatment initiation
- Initial hospitalization
- Beginning of increasing incidence
- First exposure
- Publication date
- Date of infection
Potential factor(s) that may have contributed to the emergence event.
- Human Susceptibility to Infection:
Any immune deficiency from an underlying disease, condition, age, or scenario
- Antimicrobial Agent Use:
The overuse, or misuse, of antimicrobial agents
- Agricultural Industry Changes:
Intensification of agriculture practices, use of antibiotics or pesticides, geographic expansion of agriculture, new agricultural practices, new feeds
- International Travel and Commerce:
Human travel, goods trade, invasive species from trade or travel
- War and Famine:
War, conflict, political unrest, malnutrition, famine, substandard living conditions due to conflict, refugee camp conditions, intent to harm
- Medical Industry Changes:
New vaccination practices, changes in medical protocol, new techniques, new equipment
- Climate and Weather:
Like climate change, deforestation, drought, rainy season, tsunami, hurricane, typhoon, flood, earthquake, stagnant pools, heat wave
- Human Behavior:
Living conditions, population density, urbanization, migration, food consumption, drug use, human gatherings, daily life routines, recreation
- Proximity to Wildlife:
Living near wildlife, suburbanization, being in the wild
- Bushmeat:
Consuming, hunting, or trading bushmeat
- Breakdown of Public Health Measures:
Like issues of vaccine production, vaccine use, vaccine enforcement, sanitation, failure to quarantine, toxic chemical exposure, water quality, air quality, hazardous waste management
- Unknown:
There was insufficient information to determine a driver for the event
- Ecosystem Change:
Changes to the environment, like expansion of agricultural lands, or clear cutting that dramatically altered an area's ecosystem.
The date of the end of the event.
End Date DescriptionThe context of the end date.
- Death of single case patient
- Death of last patient
- Symptom resolution and no further cases
- Study discontinued or completed
- Last pathogen isolation
- Last report
- Last illness onset
- Chronic illness
- End of increasing incidence
- Last exposure
- Persistent infection
- Last case presented to officials
- Virus no longer detected in circulation
- Publication date
The length of the event as determined by the start and end dates reported.
Number InfectedThe total number of confirmed human infections during the event. Occasionally, suspected or probable cases are included in this variable.
Number of DeathsThe total number of deaths due to the pathogen during the event.
Transmission of the microorganism from animals to people (Event Specific)Is there behavioral or textual evidence of direct or indirect transmission of the microorganism from animals to humans during the event?
Event TransmissionThe mode of transmission by which the infected persons acquired the pathogen during this event. Many of these definition were obtained from Loh et al. (Loh In Press).
- Direct transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, the bite of an infected animal, contact with body fluids, organs, and tissues, direct contact with large droplet >5 µm
- Sexual transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted during sexual contact
- Vertical transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted from the mother to her child in the womb
- Vector:
The pathogen was transmitted by the bite of, or mechanical transfer from, an arthropod
- Nosocomial transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted in a hospital or other health care facility
- Airborne transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted through aerosolized particles <5 µm
- Oral transmission:
The pathogen was transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water
- Unknown:
The mode of transmission is unknown
- Transmission from infected animals:
The pathogen was acquired from direct or indirect contact with an infected animal
- Contamination:
The pathogen was transmitted by indirect contact with soil or vegetation, contact with water, or indirect transmission from contaminated inanimate objects
The general modes of transmission by which the pathogen can be acquired. Many of these definitions were obtained from Loh et al. (Loh In Press).
- Direct transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, the bite of an infected animal, contact with body fluids, organs, and tissues, direct contact with large droplet >5 µm
- Sexual transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted during sexual contact
- Vertical transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted from the mother to her child in the womb
- Vector:
The pathogen is transmitted by the bite of, or mechanical transfer from, an arthropod
- Nosocomial transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted in a hospital or other health care facility
- Airborne transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted through aerosolized particles <5 µm
- Oral transmission:
The pathogen is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water
- Unknown:
The mode of transmission is unknown
- Transmission from infected animals:
The pathogen is acquired from direct or indirect contact with an infected animal
- Contamination:
The pathogen was transmitted by indirect contact with soil or vegetation, contact with water, or indirect transmission from contaminated inanimate objects
The symptoms reported during the event. Percentages reported reflect the prevalence of each symptom within the infected individuals from the event. Bracketed terms reflect symptoms severity.
Testing MethodThe testing method used to determine the pathogen. Note, variable values and data for this variable are being re-collected.
- Serology:
The pathogen was identified through serological antibody techniques
- Direct blood:
The pathogen was directly identified from a blood sample without serologic markers
- Direct fecal:
The pathogen was directly identified from a fecal sample
- Direct other:
The pathogen was directly identified from a sample taken from any other source, such as a tissue sample
- Genetic sequencing:
The pathogen was identified through genetic sequencing.
Is the microorganism associated with this event the etiologic agent of infection in humans and animals? This variable is not specific to the event and does not entail transmission of the microorganism from animals to humans during the event.
Pathogen Host(s)The suspected host(s) of the pathogen, if applicable. Hosts may be reservoir, parenteral, dead-end, or accidental.
Specific Host(s) Involved in the EventThe name of the host(s) involved in the event.
Host-Human InteractionThe description of the interaction or relationship between the infected human and the host involved in the event.
- Hunted:
The host was hunted
- Eaten:
The host was eaten
- Markets or traded:
The host was traded or was encountered in a market
- Sex:
The host was used for sexual intercourse
- Pet:
The host was a pet
- Medical:
The host was used in a medical setting, for example an organ transplant or blood transfusion
- Other:
The use of the host in pathogen transmission can not be defined by any of the other categories
- None:
There was no use of the host involved in transmission
- Unknown:
The use of the host is unknown in pathogen transmission
- Butchered:
The host was butchered during the event
The age of the host involved in the event.
Drug ResistanceWhether or not drug resistance was reported in the event.
OccupationEpidemiologically relevant occupations of infected persons.
Average Age of InfectedThe average age of the infected persons.
Average Age of DeathThe average age of the infected persons who died.