Outbreak Investigation and Prevention & Control Flashcards
Week 9: Epidemiology
Levels of disease:
The amount of a disease that is usually present in a community; the observed but not necessarily the desired level; regarded as the expected level of disease
Baseline
Levels of disease:
A disease that occurs infrequently and irregularly
Sporadic
Levels of disease:
The constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area
Endemic
Levels of disease:
The persistently high levels of disease occurrence
Hyperendemic
Levels of disease:
An increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area
Epidemic
Levels of disease:
Similar to an epidemic but is often used for a more limited geographic area
Outbreak
Levels of disease: An aggregation of cases grouped in place and time that are suspected to be greater than the number expected, even though the expected number may be unknown
Cluster
Levels of disease:
An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.
Pandemic
Aims of outbreak investigation:
- To determine the cause of the outbreak (the disease detected)
- To prevent further spread of the outbreak (the fire fighter)
- To educate responsible individuals in the prevention of similar
outbreak in the future (the public health educator)
- To determine the cause of the outbreak
(the disease detected)
- To prevent further spread of the outbreak
(the fire fighter)
To educate responsible individuals in the prevention of similar outbreaks in the future
(the public health educator)
5 REASONS FOR INVESTIGATING OUTBREAKS
- Prevention and Control
- Gain additional knowledge/ research
- Training
- Public, political, or legal concerns
- Program considerations
- Prevention and Control
1.1 Primary Public Health reason for investigation
1.2 Principal considerations
-What is the stage of the epidemic?
-Are cases occurring in increasing numbers?
-Is the outbreak just about over?
- Prevention and Control:
What is the goal if cases are CONTINUING TO OCCUR:
To prevent occurrence of additional
cases
- Prevention and Control :
What is the goal if cases are CONTINUING TO OCCUR:
To assess the extent of the outbreak, the size, and characteristics of the
population at risk
- Prevention and Control:
What is the goal If an outbreak appears to be ALMOST OVER:
To prevent similar outbreaks in the future
- Prevention and Control:
What is the goal If an outbreak appears to be ALMOST OVER:
To identify factors which contributed to the outbreak in order to design and implement measures that would prevent similar outbreaks in the future
- Prevention and Control
1.3 How much is known about the ____________, the source, and the mode of transmission of the agent?
causative agent
1.4 The decisions regarding whether and how extensively to investigate an outbreak are influenced
by ________________.
the characteristics of the problem itself
- Gain additional knowledge/ research
- Each outbreak is __________ the natural history of the disease in question.
an opportunity to study
- Gain additional knowledge/ research
- For a newly recognized disease, ____________ provides an opportunity to define the natural history –agent, mode of transmission, and incubation period, and the clinical spectrum of the disease
field investigation
For a newly recognized disease, field investigation provides an opportunity to define the natural history – _____________.
- agent,
- mode of transmission
- incubation period,
- clinical spectrum of the disease
Are able to characterize the populations at greater risk:
identify specific risk factors (ex. Legionnaires disease in
Philadelphia in 1976; Toxic Shock Syndrome in 1980, AIDS
in early 1980’s, Eosinophilia-myalgia-syndrome in 1989)
- Gain additional knowledge/ research