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The number of cases of a disease existing in a given population at a specific period of time (period p.) or at a particular moment in time (point p.).
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prev·a·lence 'prev(-ə)-lən(t)s n the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time compare INCIDENCE (2b)
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prev·a·lence (prevґə-ləns) [L. praevalēre to prevail] the number of cases of a disease that are present in a population at a specified time, either at a point in time (point p.) or over a period of time (period p.); when the term is unmodified, the former meaning is usually inferred. See prevalence rate, under rate. Cf. incidence.Medical dictionary. 2011.