Question

1. What is considered an outbreak?

2. How to investigate a disease outbreak?

paper should be 3-4 pages

Answer 1

An outbreak refers to a sudden occurrence of diseases in a specific community with increase morbidity and mortality rates due to the disease outbreak. The outbreak mainly caused by an infectious origin, communicable diseases that is transmitted from one person to another or zoonosis (transmission of disease from animal to human),parasite origin (dengue,malaria), exposure to harmful chemicals or radiation from industries, food infection, ingesting contaminated water.

In case of outbreak of disease certain steps can be followed by the epidemiologists to investigate the disease outbreak causes, percentage of people affected,intensity of disease, preventive and curative services.

1) Field experiment: Field investigation is the first step done by the epidemiologists and the public health workers to identify the root cause of disease,number of cases, nature of diagnosis. Field investigator must possesses adequate knowledge about sources of disease, mode of transmission,predisposing factors, risk of disease. Co ordiantion with doctors, nurses is essential. Laboratory staffs must reach the epidemic area to collect sample. Field investigator should assign clear objectives of the action plan and work to be done by each person in the group.

2) Confirm the existence of outbreak: Epidemiologists must distinguish that the outbreak is epidemic or sporadic. Endemic is defined as an outbreak of disease that occurs in respect to common geographical origin. Sporadic refers to infrequent or irregular occurring of disease irrespective to geographical concentration.

3) confirm and verify diagnosis: It is essential to confirm diagnosis and verify the confirmatory reports as the treatment is initiated based on the disease specific. Gather information from the patient regarding the cause of illness, exposure to specific source before becoming ill, any family member or relatives or neighbor suffering with same kind of illness.

4) Categorizing cases based on specific criteria: For ex) the specific epidemic illness meningococcal disease : the cases can categorized based on the signs and symptoms like hyperthermia,neck stiffness,rashes and altered sensorium. Categorize cases as suspected, probable and confirmed.

5) Implement measures to control and preventing outbreaks: Health workers must knowledgeable to understand the disease progress , prevention and treatment options. For ex) Malaria a vector borne disease commonly transmitted to humans after bite with female anopheles mosquitoes. Interventions must aimed in breaking the chain of transmission : agent,source,mode of transmission,portal of entry and host). In malaria as a epidemiologists the first measures involves in destruction of source and protecting host by using mosquito repellents/nets to protect from mosquito bite.