The
10 steps in an outbreak investigation
(adapted by Dr. Connie Austin, Illinois Dept. of Public Health)
1.
Verify diagnosis
2. Establish existence of outbreak
3. Relate outbreak to time, place and person/animal
4. Formulate tentative hypothesis
5. Plan a detailed epidemiologic investigation
6. Conduct investigation
7. Analyze and interpret data
8. Test hypotheses and formulate conclusions
9. Put control measures in operation
10. Make a final report.