Outbreak investigation of an unknown gastrointestinal illness in District Victoria, Country Mala, 2016

This case study is based on an outbreak investigation conducted by multisectoral team from animal and public health offices in Kaktong (a remote village in Zhemgang District Bhutan) during July-September 2010. This outbreak caused by ingestion of infected cow meat which had died after a brief illness (bleeding of unclotted blood from nostrils). The owner of the affected cow had opened the carcass and dressed the meat, which he shared or sold within the village for human consumption. It simulates an epidemiological investigation including active and passive case finding, descriptive and analytical epidemiology, laboratory confirmation, risk communication with implementation of control measures. This case study is designed for the training of front-line public health professional, basic, intermediate and advanced level field epidemiology trainees. The case study will build the capacity of the trainees regarding investigating illnesses caused by animal-human interface.