WGU HHS D401TASK 1: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
ANALYSIS OF CONJUNCTIVITIS OUTBREAK
Task 1: Epidemiological Analysis of
Conjunctivitis Outbreak
Introduction to Epidemiology — D401
Amanda OConnor
12/28/2025
A. Based on the given scenario, identify two risk factors that may
have contributed to the spread of conjunctivitis either within each
school or between both schools.
The first major risk factor is the tightly packed spaces in which the children
lived in the boarding school, which led to frequent close contact. With dorm
rooms of around 10 people to a room and several shared spaces in the
common area and bathroom, including sinks, showers, and drying racks,
there are numerous possible fomites, or shared touchpoints, that could
easily contribute to the rapid spread of the pathogen.
The second risk factor is transmission through shared items in the
communal space. Being in close contact with all the other students in their
dormitory also means that there are several items that students may pass
between contaminated hands. Interviews revealed contact with each other’s
hands, eye drops, soap, and bedding of infected students. Conjunctivitis,
particularly adenoviral conjunctivitis, can spread effectively through
contaminated hands and objects and can endure on surfaces; adenoviruses
are recognized for their resistance to numerous disinfectants. (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2024)
B. Explain, in detail, how each identified risk factor may have
contributed to the transmission of conjunctivitis from person to
person.
Risk factor 1 (living in groups or using shared facilities): An infected student
can spread germs to high-touch surfaces, like faucets, door handles,
showers, and drying racks, in dorms and shared bathrooms. Another
student touches the same surface and then rubs their eye, which is a
common way for viral or bacterial conjunctivitis to spread. This is especially
bad when the germ can live on surfaces and spread through indirect
contact. (CDC, 2024)
, Risk factor 2 (Touching each other's Hands and sharing items like bedding,
soap, and eye drops): The results of the interview are basically a list of ways
to spread fomites efficiently. If a student who is sick touches their eye and
then touches a shared soap dispenser, bottle of eye drops, or bedding, the
next person can become infected and potentially spread the virus by
rubbing their eye. Viral conjunctivitis can have a long incubation period
(often days), so a student may not realize they are "the next case" until after
they have already spread the virus, which can make the outbreak worse.
(Merck Manual Professional Edition, 2025)
C. Describe, in detail, two potential actions that the schools,
families, or communities could have taken to mitigate the effects of
the identified risk factors.
The first thing they could do would be to use a disinfectant that is effective
against adenoviruses and clean everything more thoroughly. Cleaning
regularly often doesn't take into account the fact that adenoviruses can
survive on surfaces for long periods and are resistant to many disinfectants.
The schools could have made a cleaning plan that focused on high-touch
areas in the bathroom and dorm, like faucets, handles, shower controls, and
drying racks. They could have used EPA-registered disinfectants that work
against adenoviruses and followed the recommended contact times.
(CDC,2024)
During the outbreak, they should have also limited the number of people
who could be in one space, sharing things. The interviews show that
students still shared soap, eye drops, and bedding, even though they had
their own towels and toiletries. They also should have rearranged their
sleeping arrangements to allow for fewer children sharing a room and to
make it clear that they are never to share toiletries or bedding. They also
could have provided some daily reminders not to touch their eyes and to
actually wash their hands the right way. The CDC says that to stop the
spread, people should focus on hygiene, keep their personal items separate,
and cut down on behaviors that bring them into close contact with others.
(CDC, 2024)
Evidence Collection
ANALYSIS OF CONJUNCTIVITIS OUTBREAK
Task 1: Epidemiological Analysis of
Conjunctivitis Outbreak
Introduction to Epidemiology — D401
Amanda OConnor
12/28/2025
A. Based on the given scenario, identify two risk factors that may
have contributed to the spread of conjunctivitis either within each
school or between both schools.
The first major risk factor is the tightly packed spaces in which the children
lived in the boarding school, which led to frequent close contact. With dorm
rooms of around 10 people to a room and several shared spaces in the
common area and bathroom, including sinks, showers, and drying racks,
there are numerous possible fomites, or shared touchpoints, that could
easily contribute to the rapid spread of the pathogen.
The second risk factor is transmission through shared items in the
communal space. Being in close contact with all the other students in their
dormitory also means that there are several items that students may pass
between contaminated hands. Interviews revealed contact with each other’s
hands, eye drops, soap, and bedding of infected students. Conjunctivitis,
particularly adenoviral conjunctivitis, can spread effectively through
contaminated hands and objects and can endure on surfaces; adenoviruses
are recognized for their resistance to numerous disinfectants. (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2024)
B. Explain, in detail, how each identified risk factor may have
contributed to the transmission of conjunctivitis from person to
person.
Risk factor 1 (living in groups or using shared facilities): An infected student
can spread germs to high-touch surfaces, like faucets, door handles,
showers, and drying racks, in dorms and shared bathrooms. Another
student touches the same surface and then rubs their eye, which is a
common way for viral or bacterial conjunctivitis to spread. This is especially
bad when the germ can live on surfaces and spread through indirect
contact. (CDC, 2024)
, Risk factor 2 (Touching each other's Hands and sharing items like bedding,
soap, and eye drops): The results of the interview are basically a list of ways
to spread fomites efficiently. If a student who is sick touches their eye and
then touches a shared soap dispenser, bottle of eye drops, or bedding, the
next person can become infected and potentially spread the virus by
rubbing their eye. Viral conjunctivitis can have a long incubation period
(often days), so a student may not realize they are "the next case" until after
they have already spread the virus, which can make the outbreak worse.
(Merck Manual Professional Edition, 2025)
C. Describe, in detail, two potential actions that the schools,
families, or communities could have taken to mitigate the effects of
the identified risk factors.
The first thing they could do would be to use a disinfectant that is effective
against adenoviruses and clean everything more thoroughly. Cleaning
regularly often doesn't take into account the fact that adenoviruses can
survive on surfaces for long periods and are resistant to many disinfectants.
The schools could have made a cleaning plan that focused on high-touch
areas in the bathroom and dorm, like faucets, handles, shower controls, and
drying racks. They could have used EPA-registered disinfectants that work
against adenoviruses and followed the recommended contact times.
(CDC,2024)
During the outbreak, they should have also limited the number of people
who could be in one space, sharing things. The interviews show that
students still shared soap, eye drops, and bedding, even though they had
their own towels and toiletries. They also should have rearranged their
sleeping arrangements to allow for fewer children sharing a room and to
make it clear that they are never to share toiletries or bedding. They also
could have provided some daily reminders not to touch their eyes and to
actually wash their hands the right way. The CDC says that to stop the
spread, people should focus on hygiene, keep their personal items separate,
and cut down on behaviors that bring them into close contact with others.
(CDC, 2024)
Evidence Collection
