CDC 6

1.

1 point

1: Which are the most common ways that a local health department uncovers outbreaks?

Performing descriptive analysis of surveillance data each week

Performing time series analysis to detect deviations from expected values based on the previous few weeks and compararable periods during the previous few years

Receiving calls from affected residents

Receiving calls from healthcare providers

Reviewing all case reports recieved each week to detect common features

2.

1 point

2: Factors that influence a health department's decision whether or not to conduct a field investigation in response to one or more cases of disease include...

The nature of the disease

The number of cases

Resources available

Health department's traditional attitude toward conducting field investigation

All of the above

3.

1 point

If a particular outbreak presents an unusual opportunity to learn more about the disease and its epidemiology by conducting a study, but early disease control measures would interfere with the study, one should conduct the study quickly, then implement control measures immediately afterwards.

True

False

4.

1 point

4a: An outbreak with known causative agent, source, and mode of transmission.

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts.

Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts

5.

1 point

4b: Outbreak with known causative agent, but unknown source and mode of transmission

Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts

6.

1 point

4c: Outbreak with unknown causative agent, source, and mode of transmission

Investigation efforts take priority over disease control and prevention efforts

Disease control and prevention efforts take priority over investigation efforts

7.

1 point

5: Pick the right sequence of numbers (dont worry about the question)

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

8.

1 point

6: To avoid skipping a critical step, investigators should conduct the steps of an outbreak investigation in the precise order you answered in the previous question (mumbo jumbo of numbers)

True

False

9.

1 point

7a: 200 Cases of Marburg virus infection in several districts in Angola over several months (usually none)

Cluster

Epidemic

Outbreak

10.

1 point

7b: 40 Cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in 1 week traced to a single meal served at a cafeteria (usually none)

Cluster

Epidemic

Outbreak

11.

1 point

7c: 10 cases of cancer diagnosed over 2 years among residents of a single neighborhood (previous data not available)

Cluster

Epidemic

Outbreak

12.

1 point

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?

To advise the patient about common risk factors and the usual course of the illness, after reviewing such information in appropriate reference material

To develop hypotheses about the cause of the outbreak

To learn more about the clinical manifestations of the disease

To verify the clinical findings as part of verifying the diagnosis

To verify the laboratory findings as part of verifying the diagnosis

13.

1 point

9: A case definition during an outbreak investigation should specify all of the following EXCEPT!

Clinical features

Time

Place

Person

Hypothesized Exposure

14.

1 point

10: Ideally, a case definition is 100% accurate in identifying who does and does not have the disease in question, but in reality few case definitions achieve this ideal.

True

False

15.

1 point

11: Once a case definition for an outbreak investigation has been established, it should not be changed.

True

False

16.

1 point

12: Common methods of identifying additional cases (expanding surveillance) as part of an outbreak investigation includes...

Advising the public through newspapers, TV, radio, and the health department's website to contact the local health departments.

Asking case-patients who they were with at the time of exposure (if known)

Sending a fax to healthcare providers

Telephoning the infection control practitioners at local hospitals

All of the above

17.

1 point

13: A case report form devised for an outbreak investigation usually includes which of the following types of information?

Identifying information

Demographic information

Clinical information

Risk factor information

Reporter, interviewer, or data abstractor information

All of the above

18.

1 point

14: Descriptive epidemiology is essential for "characterizing the outbreak" by time, place, and person, but has little bearing on the analytic epidemiology

True

False

19.

1 point

15a,b,c (just a bunch of bar graphs)

Memorize CAD
C: Malfunctioning space heater
A: Eclipse Restaurant
D: Common cold

Ok

Forget it, ill study it myself

20.

1 point

17: (forget 16). Possible explanations for a case that occurs substantially later than the other cases in an outbreak include:

Similar but unrelated disease

Secondary case

Case with unusually long incubation period

Time of exposure later than others

Error in recording date

All of the above

21.

1 point

18: A spot map is particularly useful for displaying:

(2 answers)

Geographic location of exposure of each case-patient

Residence of each case-patient

Incidence rate of disease by area

Prevalence rate of disease by area

22.

1 point

19: Which of the following may be useful in generating hypothesis in an outbreak setting?

(1 answer, should be multiple choice)

Review the literature

Look at the descriptive epidemiology

Look at the outliers

Talk with the local health authorities

Talk with a few of the case-patients

Talk with subject matter experts

All of the above

23.

1 point

20: The key feature of an analytic (epidemiologic) study is:

Analysis by time, place and person

Calculation of a risk ratio or odds ratio

Use of Epidemiological info to analyze the data

Presence of a comparison group

24.

1 point

Disease control measures can be directed at the:

Agent

Source

Mode of transmission

Portal of entry

Host susceptibility

All of the above

25.

1 point

22 - 25: I am not including these.

Awesome, thanks dude

Whatever, this test sucks