Outbreaks of Illness:
2014 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 2014, 124 outbreaks were investigated by
Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH). Of those 124 outbreaks, 23 were ruled out. This report describes
trends and provides summary statistics for outbreaks occurring in Maricopa County in 2014. For more information, please
contact the Office of Epidemiology at MCDPH (602) 372-2605.

Year
Total*

101

Characteristics of Reported Outbreaks: Maricopa County, 2014
Demographics
Number of Persons Ill per
Hospitalizations†
Deaths†
†
†
Outbreak
Average % Gender
Age Ranges†
=Less than 1
6 (1%)
year
53 (3%)
=1-4 years
122 (7%)
2 =Minimum
41% =Female
=5-9 years
166 (9%)
324 =Maximum
49
4
47% =Male
=10-19 years
134 (7%)
6 =Median
10% =Unknown
=20-49 years
105 (6%)
=50-74 years
305 (17%)
=>74 years
865 (50%)
=Unknown

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

2014 Outbreaks by Etiology
Gastrointestinal

52 (51%)

Rash

10 (10%)

Campylobacter

2 (2%)

Impetigo

2 (2%)

E. coli

1 (1%)

Mycobacterium

1 (1%)

Norovirus

20 (19%)

Scabies

7 (7%)

Salmonella

6 (6%)

Shigella

1 (1%)

Respiratory

7 (7%)

Vibrio infection
Gastrointestinal- Unknown Type

1 (1%)
21 (20%)

Other
Conjunctivitis

11 (11%)
4 (4%)

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

3 (3%)

Head Lice

4 (4%)

Influenza
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Strep Throat (Type A, non-invasive)
Respiratory- Unknown Type
Vaccine-Preventable
Mumps
Pertussis
Varicella

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

1 (1%)
1 (1%)
2 (2%)
3 (3%)
21 (21%)
1 (1%)
15 (14%)
5 (5%)

Number of Outbreaks Reported by Month 2012-2014
2012 (n=166)

2013 (n=140)

Number of Outbreaks Reported by Type and Month
2014 (n=101)

2014 (n=101)

30

Gastrointestinal

Rash

Respiratory

Jan Feb Mar

Apr May Jun Jul
Month

Vaccine-Preventable

12

25

10

20

10

Number of Outbreaks

Number of Outbreaks

8

5

2

15

6

4

0

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Month

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Number of Outbreaks by Type and Facility 2014
Gastrointestinal

Rash

Respiratory

Vaccine-Preventable

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Number of Gastrointestinal Outbreaks by Etiology
2014
Other

25

E. coli 2%
Campylobacter
4%

20
Number of Outbreaks

Other

15

Norovirus 38%

Shigella 2%

Salmonella
12%

10
Unknown 40%
5
Vibrio infection
2%

0

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