Outbreaks of Illness:
2013 End of Year Report
Outbreaks occur when there is an increase in the number of disease cases, above what would normally be expected within a specific
place or group of people and within a certain period of time. In 2013, 161 outbreaks were investigated by Maricopa County Department
of Public Health (MCDPH). Of those 161 outbreaks, 21 were ruled out. This report describes trends and provides summary statistics
for outbreaks occurring in Maricopa County in 2013. For more information, please contact the Office of Epidemiology at MCDPH (602)
372-2605.
Characteristics of Reported Outbreaks: Maricopa County, 2013
Year Total*

Number of Persons Ill per Outbreak†
2 =Minimum
94 =Maximum
7 =Median

140
*21 reported outbreaks were later ruled-out and not
included in this summary
†For cases whom information was available

2013 Outbreaks by Etiology
Gastrointestinal
E. coli
Enterobiasis
Hepatitis A
Norovirus
Salmonella
Shigella
Gastrointestinal- Unknown Type

70 (50%)
2 (1%)
1 (1%)
1 (1%)
29 (21%)
3 (2%)
5 (3%)
29 (21%)

Other
Bed Bugs
Conjunctivitis
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Head Lice

12 (8%)
1 (1%)
3 (2%)
2 (1%)
6 (4%)

Rash
Fifth Disease
Fungal Dermatitis
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Scabies
Swimmer’s Itch
Rash- Unknown Type

19 (14%)
3 (2%)
1 (1%)
2 (1%)
11 (8%)
1 (1%)
1 (1%)

Respiratory
Influenza
Influenza-like Illness
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Strep Throat (Type A, non-invasive)
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Respiratory- Unknown Type

23 (16%)
5 (3%)
4 (3%)
4 (3%)
5 (3%)
1 (1%)
4 (3%)

Vaccine-Preventable
Pertussis
Varicella

16 (11%)
9 (6%)
7 (5%)

For more information, please visit our website: http://www.maricopa.gov/PublicHealth/Services/EPI/default.aspx
For data requests, please contact: (602) 372-2631

Number of Outbreaks Reported by Type and Month
(n=140)

Number of Outbreaks Reported by Month 20112013
2011 (n= 147)

2012 (n= 166)

2013 (n =140)

Gastrointestinal

Rash

Respiratory

Vaccine-Preventable

Other

16

30

14

25

12

Number of Outbreaks

Number of Outbreaks

35

20

15

10
8
6

10
4
5

2

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month

Number of Outbreaks by Type and Facility 2013
(n=140)
Gastrointestinal

Rash

Respiratory

Vaccine-Preventable

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Month

Percentage of Gastrointestinal Outbreaks by Etiology
2013
Other

30

E. coli 3%

25
Number of Outbreaks

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Hepatitis A
2%

20
Unknown 42%
Norovirus 42%

15
10
Shigella 7%

5
0

Salmonella 4%

Type of Facility

For more information, please visit our website: http://www.maricopa.gov/PublicHealth/Services/EPI/default.aspx
For data requests, please contact: (602) 372-2631