LS.8.1.2: Epidemics and Pandemics

Which tool is MOST responsible for preventing future pandemics of Smallpox?

• worldwide vaccination for smallpox

• global education about smallpox

• better worldwide urban sanitation

• improved global quarantine facilities

Tags

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

A city has an outbreak of a disease that affects an unusually large portion of its population at the same time. Which term best describes the outbreak?

• pandemic

• plague

• infection

• epidemic

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. The first known human cases of AIDES were in Africa in the late 1950´s. Since then, tens of millions of people have died from the disease, and tens of millions more people all over the world are infected. Which term best describes the diease of AIDS?

• isolated cases

• outbreak

• pandemic

• epidemic

In 1918, an outbreak of influenza infected 500,000 people all over the world. Tens of millions of those infected died. In 1994, an outbreak of pneumonic plague spread quickly through the city of Surat in India, killing 52 people. Which statement best describes the two events?

• both outbreaks were pandemics

• both outbreaks were epidemics

• the influenza outbreak was a pandemic. The plague outbreak was an epidemic

• the influenza outbreak was an epidemic. The plague outbreak was a pandemic

There was a Salmonella outbreak at the local school.  Which would best explain the type of outbreak that has occurred? 

• It is an epidemic, because a lot of students got sick at school

• It is a pandemic, because a lot of students got sick at school

• It is an epidemic, because it spread over a large region

• It is a pandemic, because it spread over a small region

Pandemics are harder to prevent than epidemics.  Which best explains this?

• Pandemics are caused by viruses, while epidemics are caused by bacteria

• Pandemic diseases do not have vaccines, while epidemic diseases have vaccines

• Pandemics cover a large geographical area, while epidemics are specific to a given area

• Pandemic diseases affect humans and animals, while epidemic diseases only affect humans

How is the prevention of an epidemic different than the prevention of a pandemic?

• Preventing an epidemic requires the use of antibiotics, while preventing a pandemic requiers the use of vaccines

• Preventing a pandemic requires uninfected and infected people to wash their hands, while preventing an epidemic requries people to wear gloves

• Preventing a pandemic requires vaccinating large numbers of people dispersed over a wide geographic area, while an epidemic requires vaccinating fewer people spread over a smaller area

• Preventing epidemic requries vaccinating large nubmers of people spread over a wide geographic area, while a pandemic requires vaccinating fewer people spread over a smaller area

A large number of flu cases have developed quickly in North Carolina.  Health care professionals urge the population of North Carolina to receive the flu vaccine. Which explains what they were trying to achieve?

• They were trying to prevent the spread of a bacterial pandemic

• They were trying to prevent the spread of a bacterial epidemic

• They were trying to prevent the spread of a viral pandemic

• They were trying to prevent the spread of a viral epidemic

A student conducts an experiment using a common but potentially harmful bacteria culture. After working with the bacteria, which is the most important safety practice to follow to prevent disease?

• turn off any electrical equipment

• dispose of waste materials

• wash hands and tabletops thoroughly

• return materials to their proper place

Leprosy is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. In ancient times, it spread throughout China, Egypt, India, and Western Europe. Which best describes the spread of this bacterium?

• The bacterium caused a pandemic

• The bacterium infected people quickly

• The bacterium caused a local epidemic infection

• The bacterium caused mild infection, only sporadically