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This programme is suitable for public health practioners, clinicians, microbiologists, public health inspectors, nurses and other relevant health care practitioners. In the event of an outbreak occurring, the EIP fellows under training should play an active role in the management of the outbreak.
Step 1. Detect and confirm the outbreak and agent Health-care systems • Detection by surveillance systems • Indicator and event based surveillance • Epidemiological • Microbiological • Health-care facilities reports Other signals • Absenteeism from work, schools • Increased sales of certain medications Water quality • Media reports
11.1 Outbreak investigation and management . The objective of outbreak management of communicable diseases is to interrupt transmission as quickly as possible to prevent further cases. The key principles of outbreak investigation and management are: • Recognising and confirming the outbreak • Notification to public health
1. Confirmation of Outbreak. Is there an increase in the number of cases expected in the population/time/place? Confirm numbers; interview cases, review laboratory findings. Is further investigation needed? The extent and urgency of the investigation should be considered. 2. Verify Diagnosis. Obtain medical records and laboratory reports.
10 Steps of an Outbreak Investigation. Identify investigation team and resources. Establish existence of an outbreak. Verify the diagnosis.
Transmission-based precautions should be applied when caring for patients with known infection, patients who are colonized with an infectious organ-ism, and asymptomatic patients who are suspected of or are under investigation for colonization or infection with an infectious microorganism(8).
The reader will learn about the major ten steps in the investigation, with examples, which starts by confirming the existence of the outbreak, verifying the diagnosis, gathering case information, descriptive epidemiology, formulating and testing the hypothesis when necessary, conducting environmental surveys to supplement epidemiological evidenc...
