KEYWORD1:
Vaccine Preventable Disease, Pertussis, Surveillance, Database, Outbreak, Case Management

BACKGROUND:
A pertussis outbreak occurred in Yavapai County, Arizona, during the Fall of 2002. To manage and monitor the outbreak, the Yavapai County Heath Department (YCHD), in conjuction with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), created a database to provide real-time descriptive epidemiology, case management, and case follow-up.

OBJECTIVE:
To show how a database can aid local health departments in outbreak management, and demonstrate how such a database can be tailored to the county health department needs and the nature of the outbreak.

METHOD:
YCHD and ADHS staff created the database in Microsoft Access. Queries and reports were customized for outbreak-specific needs. The use of menu-driven screens and rapid reports simplified data entry and use. To ensure daily reports were current, data drom the prior day were entered by noon the following day.

RESULT:
The database provided specific reports on case management and contact follow-up, as well as epidemiologic information necessary to monitor the growth and spread of the outbreak. The database provided daily line lists, lab results, and follow-up interview lists. Also, the database allowed the graphing of pending cases and cases not meeting the case definition.

CONCLUSION:
As local health departments become more data-driven, an outbreak-specific database may aid local health departments in monitoring and controlling an outbreak. To maximize its use, it is important to consider report and information needs when designing the database, while minimizing development time and delays due to changes.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
Describe the usefulness of a database during a pertussis outbreak, as well as important considerations when using a database to manage and monitor an outbreak.