Outbreak Investigation

Question 1

what are the 4 main objectives in outbreak management?

Answer 1

1. halt progress of disease and institute empirical treatment
2. determine reason for outbreak/investigate:
   -verify diagnosis
   -define a case
   -determine magnitude of the problem
   -describe disease patterns: animal, place, time
   -analyze data collected (compare groups)
   -formulate working hypothesis
3. institute corrective measures
   -clinical and epi followup
4. recommendation to reduce future risk: report findings

Question 2

describe primary versus secondary case

Answer 2

primary case: disease from source

secondary case: disease from primary case

Question 3

describe how to count cases and investigate suspected sources

Answer 3

1. count cases and non cases
   -primary versus secondary
2. make a table of
   -outcome over exposure
3. compare groups:
   -attack rate= number affected/number at risk
   -measures of association: odds ratio, relative risk