Characteristics of outbreak-response databases: Canadian SARS example

more than forty people died from the disease. A substantial database evolved as a consequence of control efforts. Specimens began to be received and tested at the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on March 17, 2003. NML’s SARS database contains more than 12,000 records and 192 variables, with variables detailing clinical/ diagnostic (17), microbiological (143), epidemiological (25), and administrative (7) features. Clinical variables include: diarrhea, difficulty of breathing, severity of illness, systemic status, date of onset of illness, case status, case status modification, and case status modification date. Diagnostic variables include: fever, chest X-ray change, cough, shortness of breath, contact with probable case, travel, source of exposure, and contact type. Epidemiological data include: date of birth, age, sex, epidemiology cluster, and employment status. Administrative data include: patient’s last name, first name, temporal data (date of collection of the specimen, date of its receipt, and first date of hospitalization of the patient) and spatial data (origin of specimen, and identity of the hospital). A wide variety of laboratory tests are included in the database: Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA, 7 variables), Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA, 7); plaque reduction neutralization test (PRN, 3); cytopathogenic test (CPE, 2), and electron microscopy test (EM, 8). There are tests for Coronavirus (1