POPM 3240 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
2025/2026
Definition of Epidemiology - Answers Study of frequency, distribution and determinants of
health and disease in populations. Disease distribution is not random.
primary prevention - Answers preventing the initial development of a disease
ex. immunization, condoms, lab coat
Secondary Prevention - Answers Early detection of an existing disease
ex. cancer screening, mammogram
Tertiary Prevention - Answers Reducing impact of the disease. Treating signs and symptoms
ex. stroke rehabilitation, tylenol, losing weight
Who developed a hand-washing policy to make sure medical students didn't transmit childbed
fever to pregnant women - Answers Semmelweis
Who discovered that cowpox is a way of preventing small pox? - Answers Jenner
Who theorized that cholera comes from contaminated water? - Answers Snow
Who found the cause and cure of scurvy aboard ships? - Answers Lind
Who observed that chimney sweepers were more likely to get carcinogenic tumours? - Answers
Pott
agents - Answers bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi, poison, alcohol, smoke
environmental factors - Answers temperature, housing, water, air pollution, altitude
host factors - Answers age, sex, genetic profile, family history
horizontal transmission - Answers transmission between members of the same species
vertical transmission - Answers transmission between mother to embryo/fetus/baby
direct transmission - Answers person-to-person contact
indirect transmission - Answers ingestion, aerial, inanimate object, latrogenic
vectors - Answers - indirect route of transmission from animal to human
- 75% of all diseases
- zoonotic (between animals and humans)
, Subclinical Disease - Answers when you don't show symptoms of illness
ex. cases of polio
Clinical Disease - Answers shows symptoms
- preclinical aren't yet apparent but will become clinical
Persistent Chronic Disease - Answers Infection persists for years
Latent Disease - Answers infection w no active multiplication of the agent
Infected Vs Diseased - Answers infected: host is invaded by organisms and hosts immune
system responds
diseased: infection causes clinical signs and symptoms
Carrier - Answers harbours the organism but isn't infected
- can still infect others but at a lower risk than other infections
endemic, epidemic, pandemic - Answers Endemic: presence of a disease within a given area (flu
in ON)
Epidemic: occurence in a region of similar illnesses (malaria in canada)
Pandemic: worldwide epidemic (SARS, small pox)
Incubation Period - Answers from the time of infection to the time of onset clinical illness
- you don't show symptoms of disease during this time
Latent period - Answers time between exposure to the cause of the disease and being able to
detect the disease state once its underway
Development of a Disease - Answers 1. susceptibility
2. pre-symptomatic disease
3. clinical disease
4. disability or recovery
Innate Immunity - Answers - born with this immunity
- immediate response to invaders by WBCs, skin, acid
Acquired Immunity - Answers naturally occurs when a person is exposed to a live pathogen and
primary immune response creates antigens against it
2025/2026
Definition of Epidemiology - Answers Study of frequency, distribution and determinants of
health and disease in populations. Disease distribution is not random.
primary prevention - Answers preventing the initial development of a disease
ex. immunization, condoms, lab coat
Secondary Prevention - Answers Early detection of an existing disease
ex. cancer screening, mammogram
Tertiary Prevention - Answers Reducing impact of the disease. Treating signs and symptoms
ex. stroke rehabilitation, tylenol, losing weight
Who developed a hand-washing policy to make sure medical students didn't transmit childbed
fever to pregnant women - Answers Semmelweis
Who discovered that cowpox is a way of preventing small pox? - Answers Jenner
Who theorized that cholera comes from contaminated water? - Answers Snow
Who found the cause and cure of scurvy aboard ships? - Answers Lind
Who observed that chimney sweepers were more likely to get carcinogenic tumours? - Answers
Pott
agents - Answers bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi, poison, alcohol, smoke
environmental factors - Answers temperature, housing, water, air pollution, altitude
host factors - Answers age, sex, genetic profile, family history
horizontal transmission - Answers transmission between members of the same species
vertical transmission - Answers transmission between mother to embryo/fetus/baby
direct transmission - Answers person-to-person contact
indirect transmission - Answers ingestion, aerial, inanimate object, latrogenic
vectors - Answers - indirect route of transmission from animal to human
- 75% of all diseases
- zoonotic (between animals and humans)
, Subclinical Disease - Answers when you don't show symptoms of illness
ex. cases of polio
Clinical Disease - Answers shows symptoms
- preclinical aren't yet apparent but will become clinical
Persistent Chronic Disease - Answers Infection persists for years
Latent Disease - Answers infection w no active multiplication of the agent
Infected Vs Diseased - Answers infected: host is invaded by organisms and hosts immune
system responds
diseased: infection causes clinical signs and symptoms
Carrier - Answers harbours the organism but isn't infected
- can still infect others but at a lower risk than other infections
endemic, epidemic, pandemic - Answers Endemic: presence of a disease within a given area (flu
in ON)
Epidemic: occurence in a region of similar illnesses (malaria in canada)
Pandemic: worldwide epidemic (SARS, small pox)
Incubation Period - Answers from the time of infection to the time of onset clinical illness
- you don't show symptoms of disease during this time
Latent period - Answers time between exposure to the cause of the disease and being able to
detect the disease state once its underway
Development of a Disease - Answers 1. susceptibility
2. pre-symptomatic disease
3. clinical disease
4. disability or recovery
Innate Immunity - Answers - born with this immunity
- immediate response to invaders by WBCs, skin, acid
Acquired Immunity - Answers naturally occurs when a person is exposed to a live pathogen and
primary immune response creates antigens against it
