Overview
The Outbreak Investigation Assistant provides structured guidance through the CDC's systematic approach to disease outbreak investigation. It assists public health professionals, infection preventionists, and epidemiologists in conducting rigorous, step-by-step outbreak investigations from initial detection through final reporting.
Clinical Context
Disease outbreaks require rapid, systematic investigation to identify the source, mode of transmission, and at-risk populations, enabling effective control measures. The CDC's 10-step framework provides a standardized approach used worldwide for investigating outbreaks of foodborne illness, healthcare-associated infections, respiratory pathogens, and emerging infectious diseases.
Timely outbreak investigation is critical: each day of delay in identifying a common source allows additional exposures and cases. This tool helps investigation teams stay organized and methodical under the time pressure of an active outbreak.
Features
- CDC 10-Step Investigation Guide: Complete framework with detailed actions, tools, and checklists for each investigation phase
- Epidemic Curve Analysis: Automated analysis of onset dates to classify outbreak patterns (point source, propagated, continuous, mixed) and estimate exposure timing
- Attack Rate Calculation: Calculate attack rates for exposed and unexposed groups
- Odds Ratio (Case-Control): 2x2 table analysis with 95% confidence intervals for case-control studies
- Relative Risk (Cohort): 2x2 table analysis with 95% confidence intervals for cohort studies
Investigation Steps Covered
- Verify diagnosis and confirm outbreak
- Define cases and conduct active case finding
- Descriptive epidemiology (person, place, time)
- Develop hypotheses about source and transmission
- Evaluate hypotheses with analytic epidemiology
- Refine hypotheses and conduct additional studies
- Implement control and prevention measures
- Communicate findings to stakeholders
- Maintain surveillance for new cases
- Prepare final investigation report
References
- CDC. "Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice." 3rd Ed. Self-Study Course SS1978.
- Goodman RA, et al. Field Epidemiology. 3rd Ed. Oxford University Press, 2013.
- Reingold AL. "Outbreak Investigations -- A Perspective." Emerg Infect Dis. 1998;4(1):21-27.
- WHO. "Foodborne Disease Outbreaks: Guidelines for Investigation and Control." 2008.