Surveillance of Rickettsia in Jordan since 2013
Sultan Alqasrawi1,&, Mohammad Maayaa1, Ghaith Weiss2, Malak Shaheen3, Yousef Khader4
1Communicable Disease Directorate, Ministry of Health, Jordan, 2Jordan Field Epidemiology Training Program, Ministry of Health, Jordan, 3Ain Shams University, Egypt, 4Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan
&Corresponding author
Sultan Alqasrawi, Communicable Disease Directorate, Ministry of Health, Jordan
This case study was written based on an outbreak of fever and rash that affected 19 children in two governorates (Alkarak and Madaba) in Jordan during summer 2013. Outbreak investigation data were collected through medical records, line listing form, interview treating physicians, and laboratory results. Outbreak investigations revealed that this outbreak was due to Rickettsia, which has not been reported in Jordan previously. After that, Jordan Ministry of health introduced rickettsia to the list of notifiable diseases and to the surveillance guidelines manual (version 2015). Participants of this case study are focal points of surveillance, Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) trainees, and other health professionals. At the end of the case study, participants should able to detect rickettsia, apply the principals of the outbreak investigation, use surveillance data to respond to an outbreak, engage the community to prevent the disease, and cooperate with other authorities to control the disease.
General instructions: this case study should be used as adjunct training material for surveillance trainees to reinforce the concepts taught in prior lectures. The case study is ideally taught by 3 facilitators in 3 groups of 8 participants in each group. Participants are to take turns reading the case study, usually a paragraph per student. The facilitators guide the discussion on possible responses to questions. The facilitators may make use of flip charts to illustrate certain points.
Audience: this case study was developed for surveillance officers, trainees of the Field Epidemiology Training program (FETP), and others who are interested in this topic.
Prerequisites: Before using this case study, participants should have received lectures on disease surveillance and outbreak investigation.
Materials needed: Flash drive, flip charts, markers, computers with MS Excel
Level of training and associated public health activity: Novice - Outbreak investigation
Time required: 3 hours
Language: English
- Download the case study student guide
- Request the case study facilitator guide
The authors declare no competing interests.
Authors would like to acknowledge The Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) for their technical support.
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