Outbreak Investigations
Outbreak investigations result from requests for epidemiological assistance within the United States and throughout the world. Requests to assist with emergency responses, investigate infectious and environmental disease outbreaks, and quantify impact of diseases are examples of these responses. Sometimes these requests come in the form of an “Epi-Aid,” which is a mechanism CDC uses for public health authorities to request short-term epidemiologic assistance.
Our global investigations are conducted in collaboration with international partners, such as ministries of health and the World Health Organization, as well as CDC’s Global Health Protection and Security program.
The investigations below were conducted by the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch’s Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers. The investigations that resulted from an official Epi-Aid request include the Epi-Aid number—the way all Epi-Aids are tracked by CDC. When available, investigations also include articles and information published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and on CDC web pages.
CDC team cheering the arrival of chlorinated water during a cholera outbreak after a day of finding only empty tanks.
Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch Outbreak Investigations
Perrine Marcenac (2019 EISO) and Hannah Segaloff (2020 EISO, WI) conducting environmental sampling of a household.
- Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2: investigation of household transmission – California – February 2021
Left to right, Lindsey Duca (2019 EISO), Perrine Marcenac (2019 EISO), John Rossow (2018 EISO), Cassandra Tansey geared up before entering a household)
- Epidemiology and laboratory liaison, Initial case of COVID-19 field response in Orange County, January 2020
- Investigation of a cluster of extensively drug-resistant shigellosis associated with a cruise — International waters — February 2020
- Epidemiologist, Study of the transmission of COVID-19 in households in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Epi Task Force, March 2020
- Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2: investigation of household transmission – Wisconsin and Utah – March-May 2020
- Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2: Case Investigation and Contact Tracing Training - Blackfeet Nation - October--November 2020
- Circulating vaccine derived poliovirus – Zambia, 2020
- Undetermined source of domestic exposure to Burkholderia pseudomallei causing melioidosis — Mississippi and Louisiana — September 2020
Erin Conners (2018 EISO) performs testing on water sample during a biofilm-associated pathogen environmental investigation in Texas, 2019.
- Undetermined source of a community-associated cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases – Chesterfield County, Virginia — July 2019
- Biofilm-associated pathogen environmental investigation, Texas — 2019
- Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease – Democratic Republic of Congo – November-December 2019
- Pseudomonas Environmental Investigation — October 2019
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome of unknown etiology, Peru — 2019
- Emerging Infectious Diseases: Large Outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Peru, 2019 DOI https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2611.200127
- Outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) – Madison, WI — September 2019
- Outbreak of typhoid fever – Zimbabwe, January - February 2018
- Outbreak of cholera – Zimbabwe, January - February 2018
- Outbreak of multidrug-resistant Shigella sonnei in a retirement community – Vermont, October – November 2018
- Outbreak of norovirus among festival attendees at a camp – PA, July 2017
- Outbreak of waterborne disease after Hurricanes Irma and Maria – US Virgin Islands, November 2017
- Outbreak of typhoid fever - Zimbabwe, January - March 2017
- Outbreak of cholera – Zambia, December 2017 - January 2018
- Outbreak of cholera – Tanzania, September 2015 – January 2016
- Emerging Infectious Diseases: Cholera Mortality, Tanzania DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2313.170529
- Outbreak of cholera – Ethiopia, 2016
- Community-wide outbreak of shigellosis – Michigan, October 2016
- Outbreak of typhoid fever – Zimbabwe, 2016
- Outbreak of cholera – Tanzania
- October – December 2015
- Cholera preparedness in the wake of severe flooding – Sierra Leone
- October 2015
- Outbreak of cholera – Kenya
- June – August 2015 (Epi-Aid 2015-028)
- Outbreak of Ebola virus disease – West Africa (Sierra Leone and Mali)
- January – February 2015
- August – September 2015
- Ebola virus disease preparedness training – Cameroon, The Gambia
- November – December 2014
- Ebola virus disease preparedness training – Alabama
- September – October 2014
- Emerging Infectious Diseases: Safety Training Course for Ebola. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2313.170549
- Outbreak of Ebola virus disease – West Africa (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Mali)
- July – December 2014
- Outbreak of diarrheal disease of unknown etiology – American Samoa
- June 2014 (Epi-Aid 2014-055)
- Public health response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines
- December 2013 (Epi-Aid 2014-024)
- Cryptosporidiosis outbreak, Oregon
- August 2013 (Epi-Aid 2013-072)