CIC - Certification in Infection Prevention and Control Outbreak Investigation Questions and Answers

Question 1

A nursing unit reports 5 cases of influenza-like illness within 48 hours. What is the FIRST step the Infection Preventionist (IP) should take?

Accepted Answer

Verify the diagnoses and establish a preliminary case definition.

Answer

Implement droplet precautions for all symptomatic patients.

Answer

Perform a literature review on influenza transmission.

Answer

Notify the local public health department immediately.

Question 2

An IP creates an epidemic curve for an outbreak of norovirus on a rehabilitation unit. The curve shows a rapid increase in cases over 24-48 hours, followed by a gradual decline, with no clear evidence of wave-like patterns. What is the most likely mode of transmission suggested by this curve?

Accepted Answer

Point source

Answer

Propagated source (person-to-person)

Answer

Continuous common source

Answer

Intermittent common source

Question 3

When creating a line list during the investigation of a healthcare-associated infection outbreak, which of the following data elements is MOST crucial for descriptive epidemiology?

Accepted Answer

Date of symptom onset.

Answer

Patient's home address.

Answer

Name of the attending physician.

Answer

Health insurance provider.

Question 4

At a hospital potluck, 80 staff members ate potato salad and 20 did not. Of those who ate the potato salad, 40 developed gastroenteritis. Of those who did not eat the potato salad, 2 developed gastroenteritis. What is the attack rate among those who ate the potato salad?

Accepted Answer

50%

Answer

20%

Answer

10%

Answer

40%

Question 5

Which of the following is the most important characteristic of a case definition during the initial phase of an outbreak investigation?

Accepted Answer

It should be broad and sensitive to capture all potential cases for further investigation.

Answer

It should be highly specific to exclude all non-cases, even if some true cases are missed.

Answer

It must include definitive laboratory confirmation for all potential cases.

Answer

It should remain unchanged throughout the entire investigation.

Question 6

After investigating a cluster of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infections in the ICU, the IP's descriptive epidemiology reveals that all affected patients had a central line and were located in the same wing of the unit. What is the most appropriate next step in the investigation?

Accepted Answer

Develop a hypothesis and conduct analytic studies, such as observing central line care practices.

Answer

Recommend broad antibiotic prophylaxis for all patients in the ICU.

Answer

Immediately implement contact precautions for all patients with central lines.

Answer

Conclude that a single staff member is the source and recommend retraining.