BIOS 230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Amoebiasis, Stool Test, Epidemiology
Document Summary
Chapter 8: verify the diagnosis: a pseudo-outbreak of amebiasis in la county. October 1983, 30 cases had been diagnosed, amebiasis was unfolding in patient population. Historic data, expected number of cases diagnosed at the hmo during this time period was just 3. Confirm diagnosis e. histolytica is a difficult parasite to diagnose. Mike tormey, a senior epidemiologist who studies parasitology. Marc strassburg, a senior epidemiologist who had worked on smallpox eradication. Preliminary information indicated 38 cases identified over a 3 mo period (aug-oct) The preliminary investigation failed to implicate a possible common source of infection. There was no clustering of cases from any particular site(s) Highly respected lab that followed approved procedures for diagnosis of intestinal protozoa - new staff member had been assigned to prepare the initial fecal smear. No reason to believe of lab error and became more concerned with finding source of the outbreak.
