Critical community size

The critical community size (CCS) is the minimum size of a closed population within which a human-to-human, non-zoonotic pathogen can persist indefinitely.[1]

When the size of the closed population falls below the critical community size level, the low density of infected hosts causes extinction of the pathogen.[2] This epidemiologic phenomenon was first identified during measles outbreaks in the 1950s.[1]

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 Bartlett MS The critical community size for measles in the United States. J R Stat Soc [Ser A]. 1960;123:37–44.
  2. ↑ Daniel T. Haydon. Identifying Reservoirs of Infection: A Conceptual and Practical Challenge. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002 December; 8(12): 1468–1473.

External links


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