Welcome to the Public Service Health Channel

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Human behavior determines the course of epidemics; e.g. although we have cures for TB, we still have Epidemic levels of TB in many parts of South Africa.

What is an Epidemic

Our natural environment consist of various living germs /micro-organisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, yeasts etc). These micro-organisms are found in the air, in food, water, blood, saliva, sexual fluids and can even be carried by insects such as the malaria parasite transmitted by mosquito's.

An Epidemic occurs when a particular germ spreads fast, involving many people at at the same time within a relatively short space of time. When an epidemic assumes world wide proportions, it is called a Pandemic.

Germs in themselves are not Epidemics. i.e. The virus in HIV/AIDS is not an epidemic. The fact that it is spreading to so many people within a short space of time makes us say that we have an epidemic.