1. Human- Environment Interaction
Epidemics & Pandemics
Human- Environment Interaction

2. What is an epidemic?
Epidemic - a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
Example of an epidemic:
Influenza
Seasonal flu
Minimal economic loss and social disruption

3. What is a pandemic?
Pandemic – an occurrence of an infectious disease affecting a large area, such as an entire country or the world
Examples:
Black death
Spanish Influenza
Usually a new strain of a virus that humans have little to no immunity to
Causes social disruption and economic loss

4. Stages of a Pandemic
WHO has set stages of a flu pandemic to help determine what the actions should be taken
Stage 1-No animal influenza reported
Stage 2 – An animal influenza virus circulating in domestic or wild animals is known to have caused infections in humans
Stage 3 – Animal to human transmission in localized cases no human to human infections
Stage 4 – Human to human transmission; community level outbreaks
Stage 5 – Same virus causing outbreaks in two or more countries
Stage 6- Same virus in at least one additional country

5. Spanish Flu
Why do you think the Spanish Flu spread so quickly?
What physical or human factors influenced the spread?
Answer in your notes.