endemic or epidemic

“Endemic” is in danger of losing its core meaning through confusion with “epidemic.” An endemic condition is one characteristic of a particular region, population, or environment: “sore thumbs are endemic among teen text-messagers.” A condition need not affect a majority or even a very large number of people in a population to be endemic. In biology, an endemic disease is one that is maintained locally without the need for outside influence: “Cholera is endemic in Kolkata.” It keeps recurring there, but still only a small minority of the population gets cholera.An epidemic condition is widespread, rampant: “ Overindulgence in fatty foods is epidemic throughout the world.” The dominance of the noun “epidemic” (“the threat of a flu epidemic”) may make people reluctant to use it as an adjective (“flu may become epidemic”) but both uses are legitimate. It’s best to stick with “epidemic” unless you have a specific need for the technical term “endemic.”

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• pen vs pin
• absorbtion vs absorption
• soundbyte vs sound bite
• bias vs biased
• weiner vs wiener
• pause for concern vs cause for concern, pause
• little own vs let alone
• vary vs very
• submittal vs submission
• in tact vs intact

Definitions

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• n  a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location
• n  a plant that is native to a certain limited area
  it is an endemic found only this island
• a  of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater or lesser extent in a particular locality
  diseases endemic to the tropics
  endemic malaria
  food shortages and starvation are endemic in certain parts of the world
• a  native to or confined to a certain region
  the islands have a number of interesting endemic species
• s  originating where it is found
  endemic folkways

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• n  a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
• a  (especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously
  an epidemic outbreak of influenza

News & Articles

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• New York Has Its Very Own Military Sexual Assault Problem
  As Congress tries, unsuccessfully , to find some outside way to curb military sexual assaults, a new investigation into "officer misconduct" is on in New York's very own Air National Guard, where a retired lieutenant colonel in the 109th Airlift Wing (which flies huge, ski-going cargo planes) says the problem of sexual misconduct is endemic.
  June 14, 2013 - New York Magazine
• Belgian Awful: Ambassador's Prostitute Excuse Won't Help State's Coverup Case
  The tabloid favorite amongst the brewing new State Department investigations isn't the alleged Baghdad drug-ring cover-up, or the alleged Honduras killings cover-up, or even the alleged cover-up of Hillary Clinton's security detail for an "endemic" solicitation of prostitutes. No, the sexiest of the Foggy Bottom probes — all of which State officials are trying to explain away — has to do with ...
  June 12, 2013 - The Atlantic Wire via Yahoo! News
• State Dept. Dismisses Allegations of 'Endemic' Misconduct
  In the wake of a CBS News report of charges of wrongdoing at the State Dept., spokeswoman pledges full investigation; says any impropriety "hardly endemic"
  June 11, 2013 - KTVA Anchorage

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• Preven spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea
  FARGO - North Dakota State University livestock specialists and state animal health officials are urging swine producers to prevent the spread of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus to their herds.
  June 14, 2013 - The Fargo Forum
• Minorities combat obesity epidemic
  Obesity continues to be an epidemic especially in minority communities. A local couple is helping change those statistics.
  June 14, 2013 - WBTV Charlotte
• Disease Outbreak Threatens the Future of Good Coffee
  A disease called coffee rust has reached epidemic proportions in Central America, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmers and the morning pick-me-up of millions of coffee drinkers.        
  June 14, 2013 - Wired News