Case: There is an unknown tropical emerging infectious disease, with symptoms of headache, fever, and other meningitis-like symptoms inflicting populations within the State of Georgia. The State’s department of health would like to conduct a surveillance to find out more about this disease and other factors of concern.
Since there is not much information to go about this disease, I would begin with an outline of the epi-triangle and what I know about the disease so far.
Next, I would look up the symptoms of meningitis. Once that is established, I shall research a list of tropical emerging infectious diseases and compare their symptoms to what I already know about the disease. I shall then proceed to do a passive surveillance to see if any data is available, because this allows for comparison of other areas are experiencing the same inflection and what intervention is available to treat of harness it.1 If no data is available, then I shall begin an active surveillance by visiting health care facilities in the state to see what they have or know about this new disease.1…show more content… I would then calculate the Attack Rate (Number of people at risk in whom a certain illness develops/total number of people at risk).1
In the meanwhile, I would also be sending a sample to labs for further investigation as whether the host is a virus or a bacteria or other. Since a fever is involved, I would assume it is viral in nature; hence, I would be treating it as such. In addition, I would be conduction a as to the source of contamination and try to establish a mode of transmission. Because once we understand this aspect of the disease, we will better able to recommend a course of action for control and
