An epidemic is a phenomenon characterized by the occurrence of cases of a specific disease, infection, or health-related event in a population, community, or region at levels significantly exceeding the expected baseline during a defined time period. It reflects a dynamic imbalance between pathogen transmission, host susceptibility, and environmental or social determinants. Epidemics are described mathematically using measures such as the basic and effective reproduction numbers (Râ‚€, Râ‚‘), incidence rates, and epidemic curves, and are driven by mechanisms including person-to-person transmission, vector-borne spread, or common-source exposure, often necessitating targeted public health interventions for containment and mitigation.
The bubonic plague, which swept across Europe between 1347 and 1353, is estimated to have killed up to one half of the continent's population. The sudden loss of life led to the abandonment of farms, villages and fields, ...
Ecology
Mar 5, 2026
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Currently, Australia is the only continent in the world still free from the highly contagious H5 bird flu. But that status faces an ongoing threat.
Veterinary medicine
Mar 2, 2026
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The Microbiology Society's Microbiology Outlooks, launched in 2025, has published its inaugural article: "When Theory Meets Genomics: Reconciling Game Dynamics and Within-Host Evolution." The new commentary explores how theoretical ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 28, 2026
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Whales, dolphins and other marine mammals are highly social, but those social ties can also help diseases spread through populations of rare or threatened species.
Plants & Animals
Jan 16, 2026
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Researchers have developed a tool that reliably predicts where destructive new roads are likely to carve through tropical forests, giving environmentalists and public health officials a head-start in identifying at-risk areas ...
Environment
Dec 23, 2025
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22
A study published in Communications Biology sheds new light on the relationship between bats and dangerous viruses. Led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, the study shows that, contrary to widespread assumptions, ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 4, 2025
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During an epidemic, some of the most critical questions for healthcare decision-makers are the hardest ones to answer: When will the epidemic peak, how many people will need treatment at once and how long will that peak level ...
Environment
Oct 25, 2025
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On 20 May, 2025, the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally adopted the first Pandemic Agreement.
Ecology
Oct 23, 2025
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Ants make a series of clever architectural adjustments to their nests to prevent the spread of disease, University of Bristol research has uncovered.
Plants & Animals
Oct 15, 2025
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For countless millions across the globe, commuting to work or school is an everyday routine. But during a pandemic, the practice can contribute enormously to the spread of infectious disease, a fact that many traditional ...
General Physics
Oct 14, 2025
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