Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) Practice Exam 2026 - Free CBIC Practice Questions and Study Guide

In epidemiology, the term 'incidence' specifically refers to the number of new cases of a disease that occur in a specific population over a defined period of time. This measure is crucial as it helps to assess the risk of developing the disease among the population at risk. Incidence is typically expressed as a rate and can provide insights into the effectiveness of public health interventions, the emergence of new patterns of illness, and the burden of disease in the community.

Other terms like prevalence refer to the total number of existing cases rather than just new cases. Additionally, while the ratio of diagnosed cases to recovered patients might give information about disease outcomes, it does not capture the dynamics of how many new cases arise over time. Furthermore, the monitoring of healthcare-associated infections on a weekly basis is vital for infection control but does not specifically define incidence in the context of epidemiological measurements. Thus, B is the precise choice for defining incidence in this context.