Use of a Prospective Space-Time Scan Statistic to Prioritize Shigellosis Case Investigations in an Urban Jurisdiction

Abstract

The prospective space-time scan statistic offers local health departments an objective way of describing clusters of shigellosis cases. The method used in this study could help prioritize the assignment and investigation of cases, particularly when overall shigellosis incidence exceeds expected numbers or when an agency's resources are stressed by other events, such as outbreaks.