5. Use the following steps of an outbreak investigation for Question 5:
1. Analyze data by time, place, and person
2. Conduct a case-control study
3. Generate hypotheses
4. Conduct active surveillance for additional cases
5. Verify the diagnosis
6. Confirm that the number of cases exceeds the expected number
7. Talk with laboratorians about specimen collection
For an investigation of an outbreak, what is the logical conceptual order of the steps listed
above?
A. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
B. 5-6-4-1-2-3-7
C. 6-5-3-1-2-7-4
D. 6-5-7-4-1-3-2
6. To avoid skipping a critical step, investigators should conduct the steps of an outbreak
investigation in the precise order you answered in Question 5.
A. True
B. False
7. Use the following choices for Questions 7a–c.
A. Cluster
B. Epidemic
C. Outbreak
7a. _____ 200 cases of Marburg virus infection in several districts in Angola over
several months (usually none)
7b. _____ 40 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in 1 week traced to a single meal served
at a cafeteria (usually none)
7c. _____ 10 cases of cancer diagnosed over 2 years among residents of a single
neighborhood (previous data not available)
8. Why should an investigator who has no clinical background nonetheless talk to a patient
or two as an early step in the outbreak investigation?
A. To advise the patient about common risk factors and the usual course of the illness,
after reviewing such information in appropriate reference material
B. To develop hypotheses about the cause of the outbreak
C. To learn more about the clinical manifestations of the disease
D. To verify the clinical findings as part of verifying the diagnosis
E. To verify the laboratory findings as part of verifying the diagnosis
9. A case definition during an outbreak investigation should specify:
A. Clinical features
B. Time
C. Place
D. Person
E. Hypothesized exposure