Which term best describes a disease that occurs randomly within a population?

The term "sporadic" is used to describe diseases that occur infrequently and irregularly within a population, resulting in isolated cases rather than widespread outbreaks. This term is particularly applicable to diseases that do not have a predictable pattern and emerge from time to time in a population, meaning that cases are not consistently present.

In contrast, "epidemic" refers to a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in a specific area. This indicates a more localized and significant outbreak, rather than random occurrences. "Endemic" describes a disease or condition regularly found and consistently present in a particular geographic area or population, suggesting a higher degree of consistent presence than sporadic cases. Lastly, "pandemic" refers to an epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents, affecting a large number of people globally, which is far less random than sporadic occurrences.

Thus, the term that accurately captures the concept of random disease occurrences within a population is "sporadic."