Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

When one case of smallpox occurs in a previously eliminated population, it is referred to as?

1. Endemic

2. An epidemic

3. Pandemic

4. Infectivity

The correct answer is: An epidemic

When one case of smallpox occurs in a previously eliminated population, it is classified as an epidemic. An epidemic refers to a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in a specific area or population. Smallpox had been eradicated globally through vaccination efforts, so any incident of smallpox after its elimination would indicate that the disease is manifesting again in a previously healthy population, constituting an epidemic. In contrast, endemic refers to a disease or condition that is regularly found and consistently present within a particular geographic area or population, without sudden spikes in cases. Pandemic describes a disease that has spread across countries or continents, affecting a large number of people, which doesn't apply to a single case. Infectivity refers to the ability of an infectious agent to establish an infection within a host, which is not a classification of disease occurrence.