The following tree displays the structure of an Outbreak Article. Fields are displayed bold. Fields and categories (which contain fields) have the corresponding tag in parentheses. The tags for categories all begin with C..
For example, if you want to find the word test in the field at document position OutbreakArticle/About/Title, search for TI:test or search for ti:test.
Some fields can occur many times in an Outbreak Article, while some others might be omitted. This is noted in another pair of parentheses with the min and max values. If not otherwise noted, fields and categoriees appear exactly once.
 | OutbreakArticle (C.OA) |
|  | MetaData (C.MD) |
| |  | ArticleID (AID) |
| | |  | The ArticleID is the (never changing) identifying attribute of the Outbreak Articles in the database.
So, references to Outbreak Articles can always be made using these AID field entries. Search example: aid:2545 finds the Outbreak Article with AID 2545. |
| |  | Matchcode (MC) |
| | | | The Matchcode for an article is automatically generated and unique.
It contains hints on the main microorganism and the author first mentioned in the list of authors, and therefore it might be much more simple for humans to remember parts of the Matchcode than the ArticleID. |
| | About (C.AB) |
| | | Title (TI) |
| | | | Title of the referenced article.
If it is a translation from a language other than English, the Title is enclosed in braces: "[...]" |
| | | Author (AU) (max: 4) |
| | | | One of the authors of the referenced article. Syntax is: last name, abbrev. first name, e.g.: Smith A
Note that not necessarily all authors are recorded, only the first three or four from the list of authors. Search example: au:smith finds Outbreak Articles that reference an article that has an author whose name contains Smith, e.g. "Smith A" or "Smith-Erichsen N". |
| | | Language (LA) |
| | | | The language in which the referenced article is published Search example: la:english finds Outbreak Articles that reference articles that are published in English. |
| | | PublicationType (PT) |
| | | | -Description not yet available.- Search example: pt:letter finds Outbreak Articles that reference articles which have been published as a letter. |
| | | StudyType (ST) |
| | | | -Description not yet available.- Search example: st:"cohort study" finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks in which a cohort study was designed. |
| | | Reference (C.RE) |
| | | | Name (RE) |
| | | | | Name of the journal in which the referenced article is published.
Usually, the abbreviation as found in PubMed is used. Search example: re:"am j infect control" finds Outbreak Articles that reference articles published
in the journal "American Journal of Infection Control". |
| | | | Year (RY) |
| | | | | Year of article publication Search example: ry:1980 finds Outbreak Articles that reference articles that have been published in 1980. |
| | | | Volume (RV) (min: 0) |
| | | | | The volume number printed on the journal's front page |
| | |  | Pages (C.RP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | From (PGF) |
| | | | | | The page number in the journal on which the referenced article begins |
| | | | | To (PGT) |
| | | | | | The page number in the journal on which the referenced article ends. |
| | | ArticleRelated (AR) (min: 0 max: 4) |
| | | | ArticleRelated contains hints on articles (papers etc., not Outbreak Articles) overlapping or complementing the current referenced article's content. |
| | | FurtherOutbreaks (FO) |
| | | | The number of further outbreaks included in the current referenced publication. When several outbreaks are described in one publication, these outbreaks are recorded separately. |
| | | Comments (CS) (min: 0) |
| | | | Publicly visible comments on the Outbreak Article |
| | | URL (URL) |
| | | | URL linking to the referenced article, usually in PubMed |
| | Outbreak (C.OB) |
| | | Setting (C.SE) |
| | | | TimePeriod (C.TP) |
| | | | | Dates (C.TPD) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | From (TPF) |
| | | | | | | Limits the time of the outbreak through the first occurrence of any of the microorganisms in this context. |
| | | | | | To (TPT) |
| | | | | | | Limits the time of the outbreak through the last occurrence of any of the microorganisms in this context. |
| | | | | Duration (DU) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Information about the duration of the outbreak. The specified value does not necessarily match the timespan that can be computed from the fields TPF and TPT, because our editors might have chosen to use the duration field to specify the duration of the major period of the outbreak. |
| | | | | NotMentioned (NM) |
| | | | | | Specifies if the referenced article contains information about the time period or duration of the outbreak |
| | | | XPhasic (PH) |
| | | | | -Description not yet available.- Search example: ph:polyphasic finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks that occured polyphasic. |
| | | | Country (CY) |
| | | | | The name of the Country in which the outbreak occurred Search example: cy:canada finds outbreaks which occurred in Canada. |
| | | | Facility (FY) (max: 4) |
| | | | | The hospital facility Search example: fy:"intensive care unit" finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks which occurred in intensive care units. |
| | | | Department (C.DE) (max: 5) |
| | | | | Name (DE) |
| | | | | | The name of the department Search example: de:surgery finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks that occurred in surgery. |
| | | | Age (AG) (min: 0 max: 4) |
| | | | | The group of patients is differentiated in disjunctive groups of similar age.
These groups do not overlap, e.g.: Neither Newborn includes Children, nor vice versa! Search example: ag:newborn finds Outbreak Articles were newborn patients were involved in the outbreak. |
| | | Cases (C.CA) (min: 0 max: unbounded) |
| | | | Group (NOC) |
| | | | | Specifies the group of persons who suffered from this outbreak. Search example: noc:personnel finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where personnel was involved. |
| | | | Number (CAN) (min: 0) |
| | | | | The number of cases in the related Cases Group |
| | | | Flag (CAF) |
| | | | | Flag that refers to field CAN; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | Cases_sub_1 (C.CA1) (min: 0 max: 3) |
| | | | | Group (NOC1) |
| | | | | | The subgroup of persons who suffered from this outbreak.
The possible values are subtypes of "Personnel". "Patients" are divided into subgroups by the Age (AG). Search example: noc1:nurse finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where a nurse was involved. |
| | | | | Number (CAN1) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | The number of cases in the related Cases_sub_1 group |
| | | | | Flag (CAF1) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Flag that refers to field CAN1; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | FatalityTotalNumber (FTN) (min: 0) |
| | | | | The number of persons who died during this outbreak. Related to cases group. |
| | | | FatalityTotalFlag (FTF) (min: 0) |
| | | | | Flag that refers to field FTN; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | FatalityInfectionNumber (FIN) (min: 0) |
| | | | | The number of persons who died of an infection caused by this outbreak. Related to cases group. |
| | | | FatalityInfectionFlag (FIF) (min: 0) |
| | | | | Flag that refers to field FIN; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | Development (C.DEV) |
| | | | Source (C.SC) (max: 4) |
| | | | | Type (SC) |
| | | | | | Source of infection. When the source of infection could not be found, the item "unknown" is chosen. Search example: sc:personnel finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where personnel was the source of infection. |
| | | | | Description (SCD) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Additional details on the related source |
| | | | | Phase (SCP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Information on the phases in which the related source was given |
| | | | Transmission (C.TR) (max: 4) |
| | | | | Type (TR) |
| | | | | | When the transmission way of the microorganisms could not be found, the item "unknown" is chosen. |
| | | | | Description (TRD) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Additional details on the related transmission |
| | | | | Phase (TRP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Information on the phases in which the related transmission way was given |
| | | | RiskFactor (C.RF) (max: 4) |
| | | | | Type (RF) |
| | | | | | Risk factor for hospital-acquired infections.
The item "Excluded risk factors" is selected when risk factors are investigated, however the investigation did not produce significant results.
When risk factors were not investigated, the item "not mentioned" is chosen. Search example: rf:food finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where the ingestion of food was a risk factor
for getting an infection. |
| | | | | Description (RFD) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Additional details on the related risk factor. |
| | | | | Phase (RFP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Information on the phases in which the related risk factor was given. |
| | | | Measure (C.ME) (max: 12) |
| | | | | Type (ME) |
| | | | | | One of the implemented control measures.
When measures were not instituted the item "no measure" is chosen.
When measure were not mentioned the item "not mentioned" is chosen.
Note that currently, "(Change) antibiotic therapy" also includes antiviral and antifungal therapy. Search example: me:vaccination finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where vaccination was instituted. |
| | | | | Description (MED) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Additional details on the related measure |
| | | | | Phase (MEP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Information about the phases in which the related measure was invoked |
| | | DiseasePatterns (C.DP) |
| | | | ColonizationType (C.CO) (min: 0 max: unbounded) |
| | | | | Type (CO) |
| | | | | | When the presence of microorganisms did not cause clinical signs or symptoms, the number of colonizations are quoted. Search example: co:blood finds Outbreak Articles where blood was colonized by a microorganism. |
| | | | | Number (CON) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | The number of persons with the related colonization |
| | | | | Flag (COF) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Flag that refers to field CON; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | InfectionType (C.TOI) (min: 0 max: unbounded) |
| | | | | Type (TOI) |
| | | | | | -Description not yet available.- |
| | | | | Number (ITN) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | The number of persons which had the related infection type. Related to TOI. |
| | | | | Flag (ITF) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Flag that refers to field ITN; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | | InfectionType_sub_1 (C.TOI1) (min: 0 max: 3) |
| | | | | | Type (TOI1) |
| | | | | | | -Description not yet available.- |
| | | | | | Number (ITN1) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | | The number of persons which had the related sub infection type. Related to TOI1. |
| | | | | | Flag (ITF1) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | | Flag that refers to field ITN1; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | | ColonizationOrInfectionType (C.COI) (min: 0 max: 5) |
| | | | | Type (COI) |
| | | | | | In case of missing data regarding the existence or non-existence of an infection or colonization,
the parameter "No. of Colonization or Infection" was selected. Search example: coi:"respiratory system" finds Outbreak Articles where the respiratory system was colonized or infected. |
| | | | | Number (CIN) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | The number of persons with the related colonization or infection |
| | | | | Flag (CIF) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Flag that refers to field CIN; also see below, "Additional Information". |
| | | Microorganisms (C.MS) |
| | | | Microorganism (C.M) (max: 4) |
| | | | | Name (TOM) |
| | | | | | This field contains information on the global type of microorganism. |
| | | | | Genus (C.GE) |
| | | | | | Name (GE) |
| | | | | | | One of the genera involved in the outbreak Search example: ge:pseudomonas finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks with pseudomonades involved. |
| | | | | | Species (C.SP) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | | Name (SP) |
| | | | | | | | One of the species involved in the outbreak Search example: sp:"staphylococcus aureus" finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks with Staphylococcus aureus involved. |
| | | | | | | Species_sub_1 (C.SP1) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | | | Name (SP1) |
| | | | | | | | | One of the sub species involved in the outbreak |
| | | | | Description (TOMD) (min: 0) |
| | | | | | Additional details on this microorganism and its relation to the outbreak. |
| | | | Investigation (MI) (max: 2) |
| | | | | Information on the investigation methods of the microorganism. Search example: mi:genotype finds Outbreak Articles about outbreaks where the microorganism
investigation was carried out by a genotyping method. |
Additional Information:
Flag: This is a type of quality measure for a number, so there must be a number field related to this flag. (Convention is to name the fields ...Number, ...Flag, e.g. FatalityTotalNumber and FatalityTotalFlag.)
Number fields must be related to a main field, e.g. PGF is related to RE, FTN is related to NOC.