Question

Search for an outbreak that has occurred anywhere in the world in the last 100 years. This will be your topic for discussion for the session, so make sure it is a topic you find interesting! For Week 1, discuss what types of common surveillance and background epidemiology are known about your disease. Here is an example. There are some of the basics you would consider if discussing the Ebola virus outbreak: How many people have it worldwide? How many are infected each year? How many cases (minimum, approximately) do you think would be needed to classify this as an outbreak? Are cases reported when they show up? How are they reported (at the hospital level, state level, country level, etc.)? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different types of surveillance data (e.g. disease reporting, syndromic surveillance, sentinel surveillance, etc.)? Discuss how you would identify an outbreak of your disease?

Answer 1

Nipah Virus Outbreak

People have it worldwide (1998-2008): 477 cases occured worldwide and out of which 248 died. Case fatality rate is 52%

Case Fatality rate is 40-75%

How many cases (minimum, approximately) do you think would be needed to classify this as an outbreak

A disease outbreaks happens when a disease occurs in greater number than expected in a community or region or during a season.

Sometimes a single case of contagious disease is considered an outbreak. This may be true if ait is unknown disease or has been absent from a population for a long time.

Are cases reported when they show up

Everytime cases are reported when they show up to maintain tracking of disease and its pattern.

How are they reported (at the hospital level, state level, country level, etc.)?

The outbreak coordinating commitee should ensure tyhe following actions to be carried out in at hospital level, state level and country level

• Identifying surveillence and notification of cases
• Laboratory confirmation of the outbreak
• Intensifying surveillence and notification of suspected cases
• Maintain a clear cut communication channels at each level for notification

Strengths and weaknesses of different types of surveillance data (e.g. disease reporting, syndromic surveillance, sentinel surveillance, etc.)?

Disease reporting:

Strenghts:

Define the Actual measure of data

Weaknesses:

There is reluctance to report outbreals because of because of feared loss of tourism and trade of travel restrictions

There is often delay in reporting

Sentinel Surveillence

Strenghts:

Provides more reliable and detailed information

Weakness:

Time consuming

More manpower required

Syndromic surveillence:

Strenghts

May provide early indication indication of development of outbreak

Weakness

May not be based on the definitive diagnosis from lab of physician

Outbreak of Nipah virus:

Outbreak of Niaph virus reported in May 2018 in Kerela, India.This is the first outbreak of NIpah in south india.

National centre of disease control in kerela reported the case.