  We show that qualitatively different epidemic-like processes from distinct
societal domains (finance, social and commercial blockbusters, epidemiology)
can be quantitatively understood using the same unifying conceptual framework
taking into account the interplay between the timescales of the grouping and
fragmentation of social groups together with typical epidemic transmission
processes. Different domain-specific empirical infection profiles, featuring
multiple resurgences and abnormal decay times, are reproduced simply by varying
the timescales for group formation and individual transmission. Our model
emphasizes the need to account for the dynamic evolution of multi-connected
networks. Our results reveal a new minimally-invasive dynamical method for
controlling such outbreaks, help fill a gap in existing epidemiological theory,
and offer a new understanding of complex system response functions.
