Outbreak

Outbreak is a classification used in epidemiology to describe a small, localized group of people or organisms infected with a disease. Such groups are often confined to a village or a small area. Outbreaks may also refer to epidemics, which affect a region in a country or a group of countries, or pandemics, which describe global disease outbreaks.

Outbreak Investigation
When investigating disease outbreaks, the epidemiology profession has developed a number of widely accepted steps. As described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these include the following :
 * Identify the existence of the outbreak: is the group of ill persons normal for the time of year, geographic area, etc.?
 * Verify the diagnosis related to the outbreak
 * Create a case definition to define who/what is included as a case
 * Complete descriptive epidemiology: describe outbreak with respect to time, place, and people
 * Develop a hypothesis: what appears to be causing the outbreak?
 * Study hypothesis: collect data and perform analysis
 * Refine hypothesis and carry out further study
 * Develop and implement control and prevention systems
 * Release findings to greater community

Types

 * Common source (Point source)
 * Propagated
 * Continuous source
 * Zoonotic