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Which study type is that? A guide to study types

Study and experiment types for Health Sciences and Medicine

Outbreak investigation


An outbreak investigation, also known as a field investigation or epidemic investigation, involves examining an unexpected increase in disease cases, often infectious, to identify the cause, control its spread, and prevent further cases. It requires a rapid, focused response, with public health experts working directly in the affected area.

outbreak investigation

Useful for addressing:

Observational questions

Further reading and resources

  • Brownson, Ross C., and Diana B. Petitti (eds), Applied Epidemiology: Theory to practice, 2nd edn (New York, 2006; online edn, Oxford Academic, 1 Sept. 2009), Catalogue link
     
  • Outbreak Toolkit: https://outbreaktools.ca/background/analytic-studies/
     
  • Rasmussen, S. A., & Goodman, R. A. (Eds.). (2018). The CDC field epidemiology manual. Oxford University Press. Catalogue Link
     
  • Reingold A. L. (1998). Outbreak investigations--a perspective. Emerging infectious diseases, 4(1), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid0401.980104 Full Text
     
  • Reintjes, R., & Zanuzdana, A. (2009). Outbreak Investigations. Modern Infectious Disease Epidemiology: Concepts, Methods, Mathematical Models, and Public Health, 159–176. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-93835-6_9 Full Text

Examples

  • Subedee, K. C., Paudel, K. P., Pandey, H. R., Chaudhary, M., Kandel, S., Pradhan, M., Baidya, M., Pokhrel, A., Shakya, A., Thakur, N., Gautam, R., Gautam, D., Karna, A., Poudel, P. R., Poudel, A., Adhikari, S., Giri, B., & Thapa, S. (2024). Epidemiological investigation of a cholera outbreak in Nepal-India border communities: Public health implications. IJID regions, 14, 100489. Full Text
     
  • Papafragkou, E., Kita-Yarbro, A., Yang, Z., Chhabra, P., Davis, T., Blackmore, J., Ziemer, C., Klos, R., Hall, A. J., & Vinjé, J. (2024). Traceback and Testing of Food Epidemiologically Linked to a Norovirus Outbreak at a Wedding Reception. Journal of food protection, 88(1), 100395. Advance online publication. Full Text

 

 


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