Introduction
Infectious diseases are spread by viral or bacterial agents that are always present in society. The terms used to describe communicable infections are used interchangeably depending on the number of cases presented. The rate of spread and the new cases are classified differently. An endemic is used to label a virus that is permanently present in a particular region. A pandemic is defined as an outbreak that attacks multiple countries. An epidemic is describing a disease that affects many people at a time within a community.
Endemic
Endemic refers to an organism that is restricted to a particular locality. It is a condition that is regularly found in a specific group. For instance, malaria is endemic in regions with hot climates around the world. Malaria is one of the life-threatening diseases found in tropical areas. According to researchers, malaria is caused by mosquitoes and can be prevented by the use of antimalarial drugs and protection against mosquito bites (Mitchell et al., 2019). Several medications are recommended by doctors for prevention, especially for travelers (Parums, 2021). The suppositories depend on medical history and the time a person would spend before departure to the malaria-endemic identified region.
Malaria
People should be made aware that they are still at risk even with the protection used. They should avoid mosquito bites since these insects spread the disease from one person to another. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends applying insect repellent to exposed skin (Mitchell et al., 2019). At night they must wear long pants and long-sleeved clothing if they are outdoors. Using a treated mosquito net with insecticide permethrin over the bed offers more protection. Mosquitoes bite through thin clothing, so spraying the clothing would repel the pests.
Pandemic
A pandemic is a disease that spreads over several countries or continents. In most cases, it involves person-to-person transmission, affecting a large group of people. An example of a pandemic is the recent COVID-19 virus that affected the entire globe. One of the characteristics of a pandemic is that it can reproduce rapidly and spread fast through human contact. Infected people incubate the illness unknowingly and blow it out to others. The virus also mutates quickly and can be difficult to treat, thus causing multiple deaths in a population. The disease undergoes a natural mutation after being released into the populace, creating a higher risk than other influenzas (Parums, 2021). It can also cause a ‘second wave’ of victims whereby the effect of the strain worsens the condition, especially the healthcare workers and associates working to contain it.
COVID-19
Medical professionals recommend that people maintain adherence to hand hygiene by cleaning their hands with water and soap. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also suggested since it kills viruses that might be present. Health workers are encouraged to practice high sanitation after interacting with patients with COVID-19 infections. People should avoid touching their eyes, mouth, or nose with unwashed fingers. The World Health Organization recommends the practice of good respiratory etiquette, including covering sneezes and coughs (Ali & Alharbi, 2020). Individuals should cough into their upper sleeve/elbow to avoid contamination. Wearing gloves and face masks also reduces the spread of the coronavirus. Vaccination also minimizes the risk of spread and severity of the infection. Staying away from infected people also helps keep one safe from infection.
Epidemic
An epidemic is a sudden increase in the number of cases of a certain infection within a particular area. Examples include dengue fever, cholera, and diarrhea diseases, among others. The characteristics of an epidemic involve the peak size of the infections, the outbreak size, and the turning point for the cumulative cases presented. A susceptible host, conducive environment, and pathogen elements must be present for the disease to occur. An endemic manifests in some signs and symptoms, including headache, fever, rash, regional lymphadenopathy, and multiple inoculation scars (Parums, 2021). The epidemics can be classified according to their spreading manner through a population.
Cholera
People can be sure if they practice drinking and using safe water. It is recommended they use bottled water to wash, brush their teeth, prepare food, and make beverages or ice. Properly boiled, chlorinated, or filtered water is endorsed if bottled water is unavailable. These processes ensure that the bacteria causing harm to the body are removed. Avoiding bottled water with broken seals keeps one safe because there might be contamination, thus causing sickness. The health sector should ensure that individuals have access to safe water and promote hygiene and sanitation by providing equipment and facilities that support society (Shannon et al., 2019). The health personnel should be shown the importance of detecting, identifying, reporting, and treating cases because this reduces the risk of spread and stops deaths.
The Importance of Difference Understanding
Public health employees need to understand the difference between pandemics, epidemics, and endemics to ensure that patients are handled well, and the risk of spread is minimized. Sometimes the causes of the diseases vary; therefore, each should be handled according to the risk it can cause to an individual. Understanding the distinction makes them prevent themselves from acquiring the sickness, thus keeping them safe. These professionals are constantly exposed to infections. Several factors can contribute to the infection’s outbreak demanding different treatment and prevention methods.
Factors may include weather conditions, exposure to radioactive materials or chemicals, the aftermath of disasters, or other environmental factors that catalyze the infection spread. Public health workers need to differentiate the terms since this can help reduce the cost of preventing further spread (Riley, 2019). Medical experts can address the problem and help the population with home remedies to save them from experiencing more harm. The entire country or globe benefits from the medical team economically and health-wise if they understand the type of disease they are treating.
Conclusion
Pandemics, epidemics, and endemics impact the general well-being of public health. They create social, economic, and political crises among nations and even within a community. Some communities might experience population displacement, closure of schools, loss of jobs, loss of family members, discrimination, and increased social tension. People must learn lessons on ensuring disasters are met with resilience, equity, and unity. Public health officers should communicate the risks involved during any disease outbreak and the emergency responses.
References
Ali, I., & Alharbi, O. M. (2020). COVID-19: Disease, management, treatment, and social impact. Science of the total Environment, 728. Web.
Mitchell, T., Weinberg, M., Posey, D. L., & Cetron, M. (2019). Immigrant and refugee health: A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention perspective on protecting the health and health security of individuals and communities during planned migrations. Pediatric Clinics, 66(3), 549-560. Web.
Parums, D. V. (2021). mRNA vaccines and future epidemic, pandemic, and endemic zoonotic virus infections. Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, 27. Web.
Riley, L. W. (2019). Differentiating epidemic from endemic or sporadic infectious disease occurrence. Microbiology Spectrum, 7(4), 7-4. Web.
Shannon, K., Hast, M., Azman, A. S., Legros, D., McKay, H., & Lessler, J. (2019). Cholera prevention and control in refugee settings: Successes and continued challenges. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(6). Web.
Sinatra, C. (2020). A New Texas covid-19 pandemic toolkit shows the importance of social distancing. UT News. Web.