Final answer:
The statement that DAMPs are associated with non-infectious inflammation is true; they initiate an immune response without an infection. Influenza can cause an epidemic or a pandemic, and chronic diseases can be infectious. Epidemiologists study many aspects of a disease to determine its classification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that DAMPS are non-infectious inflammation is true. DAMPs, or Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns, are molecules that can initiate and perpetuate a non-infectious inflammatory response in the absence of an infection. DAMPs are released from damaged or dying cells and are recognized by the innate immune system, signaling it to respond even when there is no pathogen present. This is seen in conditions such as autoimmune diseases and allergies where the immune system is overreactive.
To answer some other related questions: Influenza can indeed cause either an epidemic or a pandemic, depending on the extent of its spread. Chronic diseases can be infectious; for example, diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis can persist over a long time, causing prolonged illness.
When studying a new infectious disease, an epidemiologist would want to know factors such as the rate of spread, geographical distribution, and number of cases in order to classify the disease as endemic, epidemic, or pandemic.