Epidemiology and public health

Epidemiology and history

I’ve looked up in both Webster online dictionary and Wikipedia for the definition of epidemiology. Turns out, Webster defines the term better, yet Wikipedia enriches the definition with supplementary context. Dealing with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population, epidemiology is a branch of medical science (Webster online dictionary). I have an example here that helps me understand the concept more clearly. Back in 1854, cholera was raging in London which had caused more than 500 deaths in 10 days. People believed that the disease was transmitted through air, so they couldn’t come up with a good solution to stop the outbreak. However after careful investigation, Dr. John Snow, who was a physician at that time, noticed that there was a higher death rate around a well on Broad Street. Turns out, the disease was transmitted through water not air. Therefore after the contaminated pump was removed, the outbreak was finally stopped (Wikipedia). The whole process above is defined as an epidemiological event which includes investigation, treatment and control. In fact, this very event is perceived as the founding case of the science of epidemiology.

Original map by John Snow showing the clusters of cholera cases in the London epidemic of 1854

Role in public health

Enough for history, so what is the role in public health today then? The answer is it is an essential part. In the context of public health, epidemiology is a cornerstone that provides information on policy decision, evidence-based medicine, as well as preventive medicine with regards to disease outbreak, investigation, surveillance, screening and biomonitoring (Wikipedia). Epidemiology does not only deal with one or two cases of a disease, it is about disease control, treatment, and prevention among a population.

Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network

Since we are students who deal with animals, let’s what we have in this area with regards to epidemiology.

The Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network (AVSN) is a comprehensive, integrated surveillance program supporting producers, private veterinarians and a team of animal disease experts to address livestock and poultry disease issues that affect industry, food safety and public health. It is part of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network for laboratories, supports national surveillance and provides continuous and timely notification of important diseases as they occur. (Government of Alberta, Agriculture and Rural Development)

This network is necessary, because people rely on animals more and more in every aspect nowadays, including work/service, companion, and what is always essential, food product. Animals and people are so closely bounded today, therefore if the epidemiological events are not handled well between us and animals, outbreak diseases like SARS, avian flu, and swine flu H1N1 will happen again without doubts.