Olli, Angelu Noelle T.

BSN3-B

Activity 2. Natural History of a Disease and Epidemiological Triangle

1. Natural Life History of Disease

• Natural history of disease refers to the progress of a disease process in an individual over
time, in the absence of intervention.
• The process begins with exposure to or accumulation of factors capable of causing disease.
•Without medical intervention, the process ends with recovery, disability, or death.
•The natural history of disease is best established by cohort studies.
•What the physician sees in the hospital is just an "episode" in the natural history of disease.
• The epidemiologist, by studying the natural history of disease in the community setting, is in a
unique position to fill the gaps in the knowledge about the natural history of disease.

https://www.slideshare.net/drswaroopsoumya/natural-history-of-disease-35398316

2. Epidemiologic Triangle
-When investigating how a disease spreads and how to combat it, the epidemiologic triangle
can be an invaluable tool. The epidemiologic triangle is made up of three parts:
Agent
- microorganism that causes the disease in question.
- bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite

Host
-The agent infects the host, which is the organism that carries the disease.
-doesn’t necessarily get sick;
-can act as carriers for an agent without displaying any outward symptoms of the disease
-get sick or carry an agent because some part of their physiology is hospitable or attractive to
the agent.

Environment
-Outside factors can affect an epidemiologic outbreak as well
-includes any factors that affect the spread of the disease but are not directly a part of the agent
or the host
-Example: the temperature in a given location might affect an agent’s ability to thrive, as might
the quality of drinking water or the accessibility of adequate medical facilities.

https://www.rivier.edu/academics/blog-posts/what-is-the-epidemiologic-triangle/