Epidemic

Pronunciation: /ep-uh-DEM-ik/

Category: Behavior

Singular: Epidemic

Plural: Epidemics

Definition

A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community or region that affects a large number of individuals within a population or species simultaneously.

Etymology

From Greek 'epi-', meaning 'upon', and 'dēmos', meaning 'people'.

Example

An epidemic of the Wolbachia bacterium can affect populations of certain arthropods, leading to significant changes in reproduction and survival rates.

Synonyms

Outbreak
Prevalence

Related Terms

Pandemic
Endemic
Infectious disease
Host

Usage Notes

In the context of entomology, 'epidemic' often refers to the rapid and widespread occurrence of a pathogen or parasite affecting insect populations.