Medical Detectives Outbreak

Several students came to the office with stomach aches and vomiting a few hours after a pancake breakfast. A foodborne illness was suspected for the outbreak, and students were interviewed about the food they ate earlier that day. Given the attack rates shown in Table 1, which food item is the most likely source of the illness that’s causing several students to get sick?

• Sausage

• Butter

• Milk

• Juice

Based on the test results, what is the patient’s diagnosis?

• The patient does not have strep throat or influenza.

• The patient has both strep throat and influenza.

• The patient has influenza and not strep throat.

• The patient has strep throat and not influenza.

The use of practices and procedures to prevent contamination from pathogens.

• vital signs

• aseptic technique

• respiratory rate

• antibiotic

A sudden increase in the occurrence of a disease in an area is

• outbreak

• pandemic

• endemic

• nosocomial

A sudden increase in the occurrence of a disease in an area is

• an outbreak.

• endemic.

• a pandemic.

• nosocomial.

People who study disease outbreaks are

• epidemiologists

• entomologists

• paleontologiests

• forensic anthropologists

What is the purpose of defining a case during an outbreak?

• To exclude certain populations

• To identify and count cases consistently

• To create a vaccine

• To stop the investigation

How are an epidemic and pandemic alike?

• Both involve a viral infection

• Both involve a bacterial infection.

• Both involve an outbreak of a disease.

• Both involve small numbers of infected individuals

Which of the following is a reason to update the case definition during an outbreak?

• To confuse the public

• To reflect new information

• To increase the number of cases

• To decrease the number of cases

Which of the following refers to a disease outbreak that is constantly present is a community or region only affecting a small number of people?

• Pandemin

• Endemic

• Epidemic

• Globalization