April 29, 2009
Dear Disease Investigator,
Congratulations! You have been selected to serve your community as an Infectious Diseases
Investigator for Larimer County, Colorado. Your community is relying on you to be prompt,
accurate, thorough, vigilant, and diligent in your investigation.
A state of emergency has been declared in Fort Collins due to a recent explosion in mysterious
food intoxications. There are numerous persons who are potentially at risk for possibly fatal
infections. Please use your scientific disease detective skills to solve each mystery.
It is of the utmost importance that you inform us of the results of your investigation as soon as
possible, as each passing moment jeopardizes the very lives of defenseless citizens, especially
the very young, the elderly, and those among us whose immune systems are compromised.
Please identify each of the six food intoxications. Notify us immediately of your diagnosis and
recommendations for treatment.
Clearly, rapid diagnosis of each case of food intoxication is imperative in developing policy
and implementation of a plan to contain and minimize the incidence of infection in the general
population of Fort Collins and the surrounding area.
We most anxiously await your identification of each of the case studies, and your learned and
astute advice concerning strategies for avoiding further spread or future outbreaks of each of the
diseases. Bon courage et bonne chance!
Sincerely,
Louis Pasteur, MD, PhD
Larimer County Department of Health and Environment
Bureau of Investigation
Infectious Disease Division