Line list and data dictionary: Download here
(Excel format, 7 sheets)
Data dictionary only: Download the alternative format
(Word format, 6 pages, 16KB)
| [Outbreak #] | [Outbreak/Event Name] | ||
| This tool can be used to organize cases during an outbreak investigation. Up to 200 cases and 70 exposures can be added to the line list. | ||
| Line list | Summary table | Epi update chart |
| Pivot table | Data dictionary |
Refer to data dictionary as needed
| Case Identification | Place | Person | Time/Date | Symptoms/Complications | Clinical Specimen/Diagnostics | Other | Exposures/Risk Factors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case ID (Required field) | Provincial ID | Laboratory ID | Case Initials | P/T | HU | City | Age | Sex | Case Status | Report Date to Health Unit | Report Date to ________ | Illness Onset Date | Specimen Collection Date | Isolation Date | MLVA Report Date | Other Date | Other Date | Asymptomatic | Diarrhea | Bloody Diarrhea (HUS) | Vomiting | Headache | Chills | Nausea | Muscle Aches | Fever | Abdominal Cramps | Other | Other | Hospitalized | Death | Underlying Illness | Pregnant | Other Complications | Specimen Collection Done | Type of Specimen Collected | Genus Species (Pathogen) | Serotype/Serovar | WGS Cluster Code | MLVA | Notes | Link to Other Cases | Questionnaire Received | Questionnaire Type Used | Notes | exposure 1 | exposure 2 | exposure 3 | exposure 4 | exposure 5 | exposure 6 | exposure 7 | exposure 8 | exposure 9 | exposure 10 | exposure 11 | exposure 12 | exposure 13 | exposure 14 | exposure 15 | exposure 16 | exposure 17 | exposure 18 | exposure 19 | exposure 20 | exposure 21 | exposure 22 | exposure 23 | exposure 24 | exposure 25 | exposure 26 | exposure 27 | exposure 28 | exposure 29 | exposure 30 | exposure 31 | exposure 32 | exposure 33 | exposure 34 | exposure 35 | exposure 36 | exposure 37 | exposure 38 | exposure 39 | exposure 40 | exposure 41 | exposure 42 | exposure 43 | exposure 44 | exposure 45 | exposure 46 | exposure 47 | exposure 48 | exposure 49 | exposure 50 | exposure 51 | exposure 52 | exposure 53 | exposure 54 | exposure 55 | exposure 56 | exposure 57 | exposure 58 | exposure 59 | exposure 60 | exposure 61 | exposure 62 | exposure 63 | exposure 64 | exposure 65 | exposure 66 | exposure 67 | exposure 68 | exposure 69 | exposure 70 | exposure 71 |
| [Outbreak #] | [Outbreak/Event Name] | ||||||||||
| Summary of Cases | ||||||||||
| TOTAL CASES | 0 | ONSET DATES | ||||||||
| Confirmed Cases | 0 | Start | 0-Jan-00 | |||||||
| Probable Cases | 0 | End | 0-Jan-00 | |||||||
| Unknown | 0 | |||||||||
| SEX known for: | 0 | AGE | ||||||||
| Number of Females | 0 | Mean | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| #DIV/0! | Median | #NUM! | ||||||||
| Number of Males | 0 | Min Age | 0 | |||||||
| #DIV/0! | Max Age | 0 | ||||||||
| SYMPTOMS | Yes | No | %Y=Y/Y+N | COMPLICATIONS | Yes | No | %Y=Y/Y+N | |||
| Asymptomatic | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Hospitalized | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||
| Diarrhea | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Death | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||
| Bloody Diarrhea (HUS) | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Underlying Illness | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||
| Vomiting | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Pregnant | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||
| Headache | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Other Complications | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||
| Chills | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Nausea | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Muscle Aches | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Fever | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Abdominal Cramps | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Other | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| Other | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | |||||||
| [Outbreak #] | [Outbreak/Event Name] | |||
| Epidemiologic Update | |||
| Case Count | 0 | ||
| Age (years) | |||
| Mean | #DIV/0! | ||
| Median | #NUM! | ||
| Range | 0 | to | 0 |
| Sex % Female | #DIV/0! | ||
| 0 | |||
| Hospitalizations | #DIV/0! | ||
| HUS | #DIV/0! | ||
| Deaths | #DIV/0! | ||
| Onset date range | 0-Jan-00 | to | 0-Jan-00 |
| Epi-curve | |||
| [copy and paste epi curve here] | |||
| †Note: [enter case definition for “confirmed” and “probable”] | |||
| Field Name Definition | Rationale | Variable Format | |
| Case ID | ID assigned by organization/agency investigating the outbreak | Case ID is used for identification of cases | Alphanumeric |
| Provincial ID | P/T public health case ID supplied by P/T (e.g. iPHIS number) | P/T case ID allows provincial colleagues to accurately identify the individual within their database for data verification and supports accurate linkage with laboratory identifiers and national IDs | Alphanumeric |
| Laboratory ID | ID assigned by the laboratory, e.g. provincial laboratory, National Microbiology Lab (NML) | Alphanumeric | |
| Case Initials | If relevant, the initials of the case can be included | Text | |
| P/T | Province/Territory where case usually resides. This field is typically the field that is used to assign a case to a P/T for case updates (follow-up) | P/T of usual residence is used in geographic analysis and for data management purposes | Drop down menu: lists each P/T |
| HU | Health Unit (HU) where case usually resides | Health Unit is used in geographic analysis and for data management purposes | Text |
| City | City where case usually resides | City is used in geographic analysis and for data management purposes. | Text |
| Age | Age of case at time of illness onset | Age allows for identification of age-related trends at varying degrees of granularity, from specific years to compiled age-groups appropriate for the particular analysis | The age of the person, expressed in years (and months for children under 1 year of age), at time of illness |
| Sex | Legal sex of case | Sex allows for the identification and analysis of differential impacts and outcomes experienced by different sexes, and better identification of at-risk populations | Drop down menu: Male, Female, [leave blank] |
| Case Status | Classification of case’s status in the investigation specific to each investigation. Case definitions will be defined at the time of OICC investigation and will vary by circumstance. The category list can be modified with different case naming conventions if needed. Laboratory confirmed and Probable are most often used. | Classification Status supports the appropriate categorization of a case for reporting requirements and analysis | Drop down menu: Confirmed, Probably, Unknown, [leave blank] |
| Report Date to Health Unit | Date case was reported to the local health unit. | Date case reported allows for measurement of timeliness of case notification during an investigation. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Report Date to ________ | Date case was reported to an organization/agency of choice. | Date case reported allows for measurement of timeliness of case notification during an investigation. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Illness Onset Date | The date when the case began showing symptoms. | Symptom onset date type allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Specimen Collection Date | The date when the specimen was collected. | Allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Isolation Date | The date when the specimen was isolated. | Allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| MLVA Report Date | The date when MLVA results were uploaded by NML. | Allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Other Date | Any other date of interest can be entered. | Allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Other Date | Any other date of interest can be entered. | Allows for data management and supports appropriate reporting and analysis. | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Asymptomatic | Case did not show any symptoms. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | |
| Diarrhea | Three of more loose stools within 24 hours. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | |
| Bloody Diarrhea (HUS) | Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). This field is only to be filled out if the case has E. coli | HUS is used as a measure of severity and burden of illness. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Vomiting | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Headache | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Chills | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Nausea | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Muscle Aches | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Fever | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Abdominal Cramps | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Other | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Other | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | ||
| Hospitalized | Whether the person was admitted to hospital in relation to the reported episode of the disease/condition. Individuals who visit an emergency room or outpatient clinic are not included. | Admitted to hospital is used as a measure of severity and burden of illness. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Death | The vital status of the person. | Died is used to calculate case fatality and mortality rates and to estimate severity and burden of illness. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Underlying Illness | List any pre-existing medical conditions that the case currently has or is experiencing, that may result in a compromised immune system, thus placing the case at higher risk for more severe disease. It is acknowledged that this variable is not systematically collected across jurisdictions. Variable is optional but available to capture information if it is collected by some jurisdictions. This variable could be very helpful in identifying pathogens with increased virulence. For example, if you were seeing increased rates of hospitalisations, HUS or deaths in young people, it would be important to understand if these individuals were healthy, or considered higher risk given underlying conditions. | Underlying illnesses is used in the analysis of risk. Individuals with underlying illness are known to be at higher risk for more severe disease. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Pregnant | Whether the person is pregnant. To be entered for Listeria outbreak investigations only. If the case is a male, enter “not applicable.” | Pregnancy is used to describe the case and population at risk; also to help hypothesize on the source of illness. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Other Complications | Report if any other complications reported. | Other complications is used in the analysis of risk. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] |
| Specimen Collection Done | Whether any specimen testing was done for this case. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | |
| Type of Specimen Collected | The type of specimen collected for each case: food, stool, blood, environmental. | Drop down menu: Food, Stool, blood, Environmental, N/A | |
| Genus Species (Pathogen) | The pathogen isolated for each case. | Text | |
| Serotype/Serovar | Serotype information for the isolated pathogen. | Alphanumeric | |
| WGS Cluster Code | Cluster code assigned by PulseNet Canada. | Alphanumeric | |
| MLVA | MLVA information for the case. | Alphanumeric | |
| Notes | Notes related to clinical specimen testing or diagnostics | Text | |
| Link to Other Cases | List the National ID of the case(s) that are linked to this case | Cases linked to other cases is used to document epidemiologic links between cases where common exposures may have occurred. | (Abbreviated P/T characters-#) |
| Questionnaire Received | Whether questionnaires were received for each case. | Drop down menu: Yes, No, Don’t Know (DK), N/A, [leave blank] | |
| Questionnaire Type Used | Track the type/name of the questionnaire on file for the case. | Text | |
| Notes | Other Notes can be captured here. | Text | |
| Exposures/Risk Factors (Exposures #1-71) | Exposure(s) of interest at the initial stage of the investigation (including travel/animal exposures); specific exposures are reported as separate variables. Preliminary exposure information includes travel, food consumption, animal contact, and social events. | Preliminary exposure information can provide initial hypotheses regarding source, as well as initial inclusion/exclusion criteria for cases (e.g. exclusion of travel-related cases). Additional (more detailed) exposure information, such as that from hypothesis-generating questionnaires, should be captured in a separate investigation-specific database. | Text |
Drop down menu options
| P/T | Gender | Yes/No | Case Status | Type of Specimen | Pathogen |
| AB | M | Y | Confirmed | Food | Campylobacter |
| BC | F | N | Probable | Stool | Clostridium botulinum |
| MB | DK | Unknown | Blood | Clostridium perfringens | |
| NB | N/A | Environmental | E.coli | ||
| NL | N/A | Listeria | |||
| NS | Norovirus | ||||
| NT | Salmonella | ||||
| NU | Shigella | ||||
| ON | |||||
| PEI | |||||
| QC | |||||
| SK | |||||
| YT | |||||