epidemiology

What it means

1. uncountableusuallysciencesThe branch of science dealing with the spread and control of diseases, viruses, concepts etc. throughout populations or systems.

   Melzer and Luke C. Pilling, a research fellow in genomic epidemiology at the University of Exeter Medical School, have also studied the genetics underlying longevity.

   2018 November 6, Susan Scutti, “Your Grandma may be old, but that doesn’t mean you will be, researchers say”, in CNN

   1 more example

   In addition to new diseases, Quammen touches on many of the examples often included in standard disease ecology or epidemiology courses—for example, myxomatosis in nonnative rabbits of Australia, and mutation rates in RNA versus DNA viruses.

   2013 January 28, Katie L. Burke, “Ecological Dependency”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 1, United States: Sigma Xi, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Feb 2017, retrieved 09 May 2013, page 64

2. uncountableusuallysciencesThe epidemiological body of knowledge about a particular thing.

In a sentence

In addition to new diseases, Quammen touches on many of the examples often included in standard disease ecology or epidemiology courses—for example, myxomatosis in nonnative rabbits of Australia, and mutation rates in RNA versus DNA viruses.

2013 January 28, Katie L. Burke, “Ecological Dependency”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 1, United States: Sigma Xi, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Feb 2017, retrieved 09 May 2013, page 64

Where it comes from

From Late Latin epidemia + -logy. See epidemic for more.