Before beginning the assignment, read the following:

• Steps in an outbreak investigation (Word)
• Example of a food-borne outbreak investigation report you can use as a model for your analysis, tables, and presentation:
  • Serdarevic, F., Jones, R., Weaver, K., Black, S., Ritger, K., Guichard, et al. (2012). Multi-pathogen waterborne disease outbreak associated with a dinner cruise on Lake Michigan. Epidemiology and Infection, 140(4), 621-625.

For this assignment you may perform calculations in SAS, in Excel, or 'manually.'

There has been an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that appears to be linked to a single event in which dinner and dessert were served. Investigators obtained a list of every food and drink item served at the event and a list of all the people who attended the event. They contacted each individual and asked them whether they consumed each of the foods or drinks served. The investigators asked each attendee whether they became ill, using a standard case definition, what time they became ill, and their age and sex.

Your task is to determine if one or more of the food or drink items served at this event was statistically associated with illness among the attendees.

Because you were able to reach every person who went to the event, you decide to analyze this as a retrospective cohort study. Complete the following steps:

1. Describe the study population using the demographic variables available (the 'who'). Summarize the study population in total and stratified by 'ill' and 'not ill.' Include a table to summarize your descriptive analyses. You must include a table for this or you will loose points
2. Use SAS, Excel, or pen and paper to calculate attack rates and rate ratios and complete the table in this link, https://lmscontent.embanet.com/RC/MPH/PBH616/Docs/RC_PBH_616_Week_04_Outbreak.xlsx. You must show your calculation
3. Hint - you can use the Statistics > Tables Analysis utility in SAS.
4. Using your results, identify the food or drink item most likely associated with the illnesses. You must design and include a table to summarize your results or you will loose points.
5. Fast forward, and you have been invited to give a 5-10-minute presentation about this outbreak at a professional conference. The attendees are other epidemiologists who also investigate illness outbreaks. This part is going to require you to get creative and invent a story about the outbreak. Have fun!

Use Zoom to record your presentation. Your presentation should include:

1. How you first found out there might be an outbreak.
2. How you determined attendees and conducted the interviews.
3. Your descriptive epidemiology and your hypothesis.
   1. You must show your table summarizing your descriptive analyses
4. How you tested your hypothesis; this should be an explanation of why you chose your methods and your analysis plan.
5. Your results and conclusion(s), including your table.
6. Your control measures and next steps, if any. Please outline and number your answers clearly