title: Disease outbreak investigations--objectives, methods and importance.
abstract: In South Africa approximately 100 disease outbreaks or epidemics requiring investigation and control can be anticipated each year. Outbreak investigations play a critical role in determining effective disease control strategies. The application of modern epidemiological methods to the study of disease outbreaks is discussed and problem-solving methodology, which has similarities to the approach used in clinical diagnostics, described. These methods were applied to the investigation of an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at a Johannesburg teaching hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of National Health and Population Development, Pretoria.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Strebel
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Küstner
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D013019:South Africa