Question 1

Why does this sentence use debido al instead of debido a que?

Accepted Answer

We use debido a (which combines with el to make al) because it is followed by a noun phrase: el manejo inadecuado. If you wanted to use debido a que, you would need to follow it with a full clause containing a conjugated verb, for example: ...debido a que manejaron mal la carne (...due to the fact that they handled the meat poorly).

Question 2

Since an outbreak is a negative event, could I use por culpa del here instead?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely! Por culpa de implies blame or a negative consequence, so por culpa del manejo inadecuado works perfectly here. Conversely, you wouldn't use gracias al (thanks to), because that connector is exclusively reserved for positive outcomes.

Question 3

Is brote only used for disease outbreaks?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. It comes from the verb brotar, which means to sprout or to bud. Besides a disease outbreak, un brote can refer to a newly sprouted plant shoot, or figuratively to a sudden surge of an event or emotion, like an outbreak of violence (un brote de violencia).

Question 4

Could the adjective be placed before the noun, as in el inadecuado manejo?

Accepted Answer

You could, but it changes the tone. Placing the adjective after the noun is the standard way to objectively classify it (inadequate handling as opposed to proper handling). Placing it before the noun makes it more subjective, emphatic, or literary, which wouldn't fit the factual, report-like tone of this sentence.

El brote ocurrió debido al manejo inadecuado de la carne.

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