Case studies
Case study 1: Collaboration between laboratory specialists and epidemiologists
Learning objectives
At the end of the exercise, the participants will be able to:
- map out the kind of problems and misunderstanding that may arise between laboratory specialists and epidemiologists;
- identify the determinants of these problems and misunderstandings;
- propose solutions to improve the collaboration between the two groups.
Files
Case study 2: An Outbreak of Cholera, West Bengal, India
Learning objectives
At the end of the case study, the student will be able to:
- understand the role of the laboratory in surveillance and outbreak detection;
- identify the number of samples to take, and the transport media to use, during an outbreak of suspected cholera;
- provide the minimum information needed to ensure appropriate laboratory testing;
- take appropriate measures to prevent contamination and/or infection when collecting specimens to send to a laboratory;
- identify the appropriate laboratory tests to request during an outbreak of diarrhoea;
- understand the key elements of quality assurance for laboratories;
- interpret Vibrio cholerae biotypes and serotypes;
- understand the relevance of antibiotic susceptibility testing during the investigation of an outbreak of cholera;
- decide whether environmental samples are needed during an outbreak of diarrhoea;
- integrate epidemiological and laboratory data to formulate conclusions during cholera outbreak investigations.
Files
Case study 3: Salmonella in the Caribbean
Learning objectives
At the end of the case study, the participant will be able to:
- understand the role of the laboratory in public health surveillance;
- identify which samples to take and the transport media to use for the diagnosis of diarrheal diseases;
- provide the minimum epidemiologic information needed to ensure appropriate testing by the laboratory;
- identify the appropriate laboratory tests to request for the diagnosis of diarrheal diseases;
- understand and implement personal protective measures when collecting and preparing specimens for transportation to a laboratory;
- understand the key elements of quality assurance for laboratories;
- understand typing techniques used to study the epidemiology of salmonellosis;
- interpret Salmonella serotypes and phage types;
- identify the role of non-human samples in an investigation of salmonellosis;
- integrate epidemiological and laboratory data to formulate conclusions during an investigation.
Files
Case study 4: An outbreak with respiratory symptoms - SARS
Learning objectives
- understand the importance of laboratory data for surveillance of respiratory pathogens and outbreak detection;
- understand the limitations of laboratory data in surveillance and outbreak detection;
- devise an optimal sampling strategy for the type and the number of samples to take during an outbreak of respiratory illness;
- follow ethical guidelines and consider requirements for informed consent in patient sampling;
- use personal protective measures to prevent infections when taking samples and preparing them for transport;
- transport samples according to national and/or international regulations, as applicable;
- identify the laboratory techniques that may be used to test specimens collected during a respiratory outbreak;
- understand limitations of results of PCR and serology testing;
- interpret phylogenetic trees to understand the spread of disease; origin and relatedness of the pathogen;
- interpret laboratory data in context of epidemiological data in order to make recommendations for public health action.