Attack rate

Attack rate is a term predominantly used in epidemiology to refer to the biostatistical measure which evaluates the frequency of morbidity or the pace at which a disease spreads within a population deemed to be "at risk."

Definition

The concept of an "at risk" population is characterized by its lack of immunity to an attacking pathogen. This pathogen can be novel, having never previously affected the population, or it might be an established one to which the population has not yet developed immunity.

Calculation

The attack rate is determined by taking the number of new cases observed within the at-risk population and dividing it by the total number of individuals within that at-risk population.

Applications

Attack rates are pivotal in the realm of public health and epidemiology. Their primary application lies in:

• Predicting the expected number of victims during an epidemic.
• Assisting in resource allocation, ensuring that adequate medical care can be provided.
• Guiding the production of relevant vaccines, as well as anti-viral and anti-bacterial medications.

See also

• Epidemiology
• Morbidity
• Pathogen
• Vaccine