2: Disease and Epidemiology (Part A)
In the United States and other developed nations, public health is a key function of government. A healthy citizenry is more productive, content, and prosperous; high rates of death and disease, on the other hand, can severely hamper economic productivity and foster social and political instability. The burden of disease makes it difficult for citizens to work consistently, maintain employment, and accumulate wealth to better their lives and support a growing economy.
In this chapter, we will explore the intersections between microbiology and epidemiology, the science that underlies public health.
Chapter Outline
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- 2.1: Tracking Infectious Diseases
- Some important researchers, such as Florence Nightingale, subscribed to the miasma hypothesis. The transition to acceptance of the germ theory during the 19th century provided a solid mechanistic grounding to the study of disease patterns. The studies of 19th century physicians and researchers such as John Snow, Florence Nightingale, Ignaz Semmelweis, Joseph Lister, Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur, and others sowed the seeds of modern epidemiology.