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Escape [September 24, 2004]

On this week’s episode, the team is divided by two outbreaks.

The first outbreak is thought to be pneumonia among several seemingly unrelated patients in Dade County, Florida. CDC scientists work with this disease in various circumstances, including pneumonia among children in developing countries.

During the investigation, the team discusses the similarities (and differences) in epidemiology and investigative reporting. Epidemiology focused specifically upon patients and is defined as "the study of populations in order to determine the frequency and distribution of disease and measure risks." For more information on the epidemiologists at CDC, check out the Epidemic Intelligence Service.

As the investigation progresses, it is determined that the patients are suffering from Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii.

Meanwhile, in the second outbreak, the team is working on suspected cases of tuberculosis. For additional information on tuberculosis, see Questions and Answers about TB and statistical information on occurrence of tuberculosis in the United States.

Because tuberculosis is suspected, one of the team members is asked if he has had his BCG shots. Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin, or BCG, is a vaccine for tuberculosis named after the French scientists Calmette and Guérin. BCG is not widely used in the United States, but it is often given to infants and small children in other countries where tuberculosis is common.

In order to contain the spread of the unknown disease, the team suggests that those who are ill be placed in isolation and those who are most likely to become ill be placed in quarantine. The fact sheets below contain information on isolation and quarantine.

As the investigation progresses, the team suspects Legionnaire's Disease and finally determines the cause of the illness is histoplasmosis, spread through the ventilation system.

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