PUBH 6003: WEEK IV: ASSIGNMENT II
TEST
“AN OUTBREAK OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVER IN AFRICA”
,PUBH 6003: WEEK IV: ASSIGNMENT II
TEST
All work should be neat and legible.
Round each of your answers to the nearest 10th decimal point (e.g., 3.258 = 3.3).
, PUBH 6003: WEEK IV: ASSIGNMENT II
TEST
AN OUTBREAK OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVER IN AFRICA
OBJECTIVES
After completing this case study, the student should be able to:
1. List the criteria for deciding whether a field investigation is warranted;
2. Describe the key tasks involved in investigating an epidemic of unknown cause, and, given
a real outbreak, perform each step;
3. Describe the components of a case definition, and develop a case definition for a new
disease;
4. Given the appropriate data, perform descriptive epidemiology and explain the importance of
this step.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 68 POINTS FOR THIS CASE STUDY
Note: This exercise is designed to “step” you through this outbreak investigation. Therefore
answer each question given only the information presented up to that point.
The Bumba Zone is in the middle Zaire river basin, an area consisting predominantly of tropical
rain forest. About 275,000 persons live there, mostly in small villages with fewer than 500
persons. The people are avid hunters and come in contact with a variety of wild animals.
Dysentery, malaria, filariasis, measles, amoebiasis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and goiter are
some of the common endemic diseases to this area.
Since the first of September 1976, 17 patients at the Yambuku Mission Hospital in the Yandongi
collectivity (county) and one Belgian missionary midwife employed by the hospital had
developed an illness characterized by fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea that
rapidly progressed to death. The officer reported that the illness appeared to be spreading among
the remaining 16 hospital staff members, as well as persons living along the roads leading from
Yambuku.
TEST
“AN OUTBREAK OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVER IN AFRICA”
,PUBH 6003: WEEK IV: ASSIGNMENT II
TEST
All work should be neat and legible.
Round each of your answers to the nearest 10th decimal point (e.g., 3.258 = 3.3).
, PUBH 6003: WEEK IV: ASSIGNMENT II
TEST
AN OUTBREAK OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVER IN AFRICA
OBJECTIVES
After completing this case study, the student should be able to:
1. List the criteria for deciding whether a field investigation is warranted;
2. Describe the key tasks involved in investigating an epidemic of unknown cause, and, given
a real outbreak, perform each step;
3. Describe the components of a case definition, and develop a case definition for a new
disease;
4. Given the appropriate data, perform descriptive epidemiology and explain the importance of
this step.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 68 POINTS FOR THIS CASE STUDY
Note: This exercise is designed to “step” you through this outbreak investigation. Therefore
answer each question given only the information presented up to that point.
The Bumba Zone is in the middle Zaire river basin, an area consisting predominantly of tropical
rain forest. About 275,000 persons live there, mostly in small villages with fewer than 500
persons. The people are avid hunters and come in contact with a variety of wild animals.
Dysentery, malaria, filariasis, measles, amoebiasis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and goiter are
some of the common endemic diseases to this area.
Since the first of September 1976, 17 patients at the Yambuku Mission Hospital in the Yandongi
collectivity (county) and one Belgian missionary midwife employed by the hospital had
developed an illness characterized by fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea that
rapidly progressed to death. The officer reported that the illness appeared to be spreading among
the remaining 16 hospital staff members, as well as persons living along the roads leading from
Yambuku.
