Reporting Obligations Individuals who have or may have listeriosis shall be reported to the local Health Unit as soon as possible. Sporadic cases of the diarrheal form of Listeriosis are not reportable. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Listeriosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the agent Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), a facultative anaerobic, nonspore-forming, motile, Gram-positive bacillus… Continue reading Listeriosis
Reporting Obligations Confirmed and suspected cases shall be reported to local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is an illness caused by toxins that are produced by oceanic phytoplankton or dinoflagellates. There is an extensive number of PSP-type marine biotoxins worldwide. The toxin most commonly associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning is saxitoxin… Continue reading Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)
Reporting Obligations Individuals who have or may have legionellosis shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Legionellae species are fastidious aerobic bacilli that stain gram-negative after recovery on artificial media. At least 20 of the more than 60 species have been implicated in human disease, but Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is… Continue reading Legionellosis
Including Ebola virus disease, Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, and other viral causes. Reporting Obligations Individuals who have or may have hemorrhagic fever shall be reported as soon as possible to the local Health Unit. Suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) require activation of the Canadian Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Contingency Plan. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent… Continue reading Hemorrhagic Fevers
Reporting Obligations Individuals who may or may not have hepatitis A shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Hepatitis A infection is caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV), a 27-nanometer picornavirus, positive-strand RNA virus. It has been classified as a member of the family Picornaviridae. Clinical Presentation Typically, hepatitis A… Continue reading Hepatitis A, viral
Reporting Obligations Confirmed and suspected cases shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Cyclospora cayetanensis is a coccidian protozoan; oocysts (rather than cysts) are passed in stools and become infectious days to weeks following excretion. Clinical Presentation Watery diarrhea is the most common symptom and can be profuse and protracted. Anorexia,… Continue reading Cyclosporiasis
Reporting Obligations Outbreaks of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in public hospitals shall be reported immediately by phone to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacillus. It is widely distributed in the environment and colonizes up to 3–5% of adults without causing symptoms. Some strains can produce two… Continue reading Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) Outbreaks in Public Hospitals
Reporting Obligations Confirmed and suspected cases shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Cryptosporidium are oocyst-forming coccidian protozoa. Oocysts are excreted in feces of an infected host. The most common species causing disease in humans are C. hominis, which only infects humans, and C. parvum, which infects humans, cattle and other… Continue reading Cryptosporidiosis
Reporting Obligations All confirmed or suspect outbreaks of gastroenteritis shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Notification should be done by phone. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness in institutions are most frequently caused by viruses such as noroviruses, rotaviruses, and rarely other viruses. However, bacteria and other pathogens may cause outbreaks as… Continue reading Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Institutions and Public Hospitals
Reporting Obligations Confirmed and suspected cases shall be reported to the local Health Unit. Epidemiology Aetiologic Agent Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is illnesses that are acquired through the consumption of contaminated food or water, but are not directly specified by Regulation 135/18 as a Disease of Public Health Significance. Food poisoning includes foodborne… Continue reading Food Poisoning, all causes