During an outbreak, targeted environmental sampling should be performed only if advised by which authority?

• A. Hospital Infection Prevention Committee
• B. Local jurisdiction or health department
• C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• D. Hospital Administration

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that initiating targeted environmental sampling during an outbreak is a public health action that requires formal authority and coordination through the local health department. The local jurisdiction or health department has the legal responsibility to investigate outbreaks, determine the need for environmental sampling, set the scope and methods, and coordinate with hospitals and other agencies. This ensures the sampling is appropriate, safe, and interpreted correctly within the larger epidemiologic context, and it helps align actions with reporting requirements and regulatory expectations.

While the hospital Infection Prevention Committee oversees infection control practices and can advocate for investigation, it doesn’t have the official authority to authorize outbreak investigations or ordering environmental sampling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can provide guidelines and expert support, but it’s the local health department that leads and authorizes actions within a community or jurisdiction. Hospital administration handles operational and resource decisions but not the public health mandate to sample.

So, the best answer is the local jurisdiction or health department because they are the proper authority to authorize and coordinate targeted environmental sampling during an outbreak.