Students Use Science to Investigate a Shigellosis Outbreak

Students in Mrs. Hostetter’s AP Biology class investigated a shigellosis outbreak based upon an actual shigellosis outbreak in 2000 that was traced to a commercially prepared dip that infected over 400 people in the United States. Students mimicked the steps of a cohort study by analyzing the food consumption data retrieved from a party and developed a hypothesis about the source. Students then had to work in teams to design an experiment using gel electrophoresis to analyze the data and confirm their hypothesis. The goal of this exercise was to engage and encourage students to ask the right questions and develop the skill sets needed to approach a problem, such as the contamination of food.