Epidemic Investigation and Control

Epidemic is a situation where there is an increase in the number of cases of a disease above than the normally expected number among the population at a given time. Investigating an epidemic requires epidemiological knowledge and expertise. This chapter will: (1) explain a few commonly used terms, such as epidemic, outbreak, endemic, pandemic, cluster, epizootic, attack rate, and case fatality rate; (2) differentiate between a common source outbreak and a propagated source outbreak; (3) provide example of outbreak response levels; (4) describe steps of epidemic investigation and control; (5) describe data analysis in terms of time, place, and person; and (6) explain future control measure. Also, a real-life example of epidemic control using a community-operated treatment center is presented. Although the steps of epidemic investigation and control measures can be followed in most of the disease outbreaks, they should not be generalized—the measures could be more specific based on the cause of the epidemic.