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Investigation and control of communicable disease epidemics. Purpose of investigating an epidemic. To identify its cause and the best means to control it. Epidemics may commonly be due to:. Food-borne outbreaks, e.g. enteritis due to Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcal infection, Salmonellosis.
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Purpose of investigating an epidemic To identify its cause and the best means to control it.
Epidemics may commonly be due to: • Food-borne outbreaks, e.g. enteritis due to Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcal infection, Salmonellosis. • Communicable diseases with short incubation periods, e.g. dengue, cholera, influeza, malaria, measles, plague, yellow fever. • Communicable diseases with longer incubation periods, e.g African trypanosomiasis, viral hepatitis, kala-azar • Toxic substances, e.g. contaminated foods, insecticides, and agricultural chemicals.
Who may detect an epidemic? • Community leaders • Health workers in PHC facilities. • District health information and surveillance systems. • Hospitals.
Steps of investigating an epidemic • Preliminary investigation • Definition of an epidemic • Confirming the epidemic 2. Identification of cases.(Active case detection) 3. Collection and analysis of data. 4. Implementation of control measures.(Control of epidemic) 5. Dissemination of findings. 6. Follow up
Review routine information, surveillance, clinical cases, community information and report Information regarding possible epidemic Criteria for establishing presence of an epidemic Check records and seasonal incidence Is there an epidemic? Confirm diagnosis Isolate and treat cases Conduct case finding (Active case detection) Attack source and way of transmission Trace contacts Institute prevention Compile information concerning epidemic Conduct environmental assessment Continue surveillance Process and analysis data Comunicate finding Institute health plans to prevent recurrence
Methods of control • Eliminate reservoir of infection. • Interrupt the pathway of transmission. • Protect the susceptible hosts
Eliminating the causal agent from the reservoir of infection (Attack the source) • Human reservoir • Treatment of carriers and cases • Isolation of patients. • Surveillance of suspects • The zoonoses (control of animal reservoir) • Non-living reservoir • Notification of cases
Interruption of transmission • Improvement of environmental sanitation. • Personal hygiene. • Vector control. • Disinfection and sterilization • Quarantine
Protection of the susceptible host • Chemoprophylaxis • Passive and active immunization. • Personal protection • Better nutrition