Descriptive epidemiology aims to describe the distribution of disease in terms of one or more of the following:<br>
Descriptive epidemiology aims to describe the distribution of disease in terms of one or more of the following:<br>
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======which animals are affected (''animal'')======
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=====which animals are affected (''animal'')=====
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======where affected animals are located (''place'')======
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=====where affected animals are located (''place'')=====
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======any temporal patterns of disease (''time'')======
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=====any temporal patterns of disease (''time'')=====
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As such, no formal attempt is made to investigate reasons for the patterns of disease, although hypotheses regarding possible reasons will commonly be generated and developed as a result of these investigations.