Infectious Diseases

• investigate all reports of confirmed and suspected cases of reportable diseases in the community and within institutions such as
  • schools
  • licensed daycares
  • hospitals
  • long-term care homes
  • retirement homes
• report cases to the Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario for ongoing surveillance and identification of outbreaks
• inspect institutions, premises and facilities where cases or disease transmission is suspected
• manage cases and contacts, which includes providing:
  • recommendations to physicians about treatment and chemoprophylaxis
  • advice on required testing and specimen sample submission
  • recommendations about infection prevention and control measures
  • advice on immunization or immune-globulin to cases and contacts
  • counselling for cases and contacts about disease prevention

Suspected or confirmed cases of human rabies must be reported immediately to Public Health Sudbury & Districts. Rabies in humans is a reportable disease in Ontario.

Physicians and nurses in the extended class have a duty to report animal-to-human exposures to Public Health in order to determine a patient’s need for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PDF) (rabies immunoglobulin and vaccine).

• Guidance Document for the Management of Suspected Rabies Exposure, Ministry of Health (PDF)
• Rabies vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide (Government of Canada)

No cost medications to treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are available through Public Health Sudbury & Districts. These medications can be ordered to stock your clinic or on a case-by-case basis to treat patients. The service includes access to a public health nurse to assist with any questions you may have.

Who is eligible?

Public Health Sudbury & Districts will supply publicly funded medications to health care providers who manage clients for the following STIs:

• Empiric treatment of suspected chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) infections.
• Treatment of laboratory-confirmed chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and LGV infections.
• Treatment of sexual partners of individuals diagnosed with one of these infections.

Medication can be ordered as often as needed, and Public Health Sudbury & Districts will take back any expired medication.

Rationale

Medications for treatment of STIs are publicly funded for Ontario residents to allow easy access to first-line treatment and prevent ongoing transmission. Timely treatment of patients and their sexual partners with first-line regimens will help to decrease the risk of complications and prevent further transmission and re-infections.

By pre-ordering and stocking these medications in your clinic, you will be able to treat patients at the time of presentation with no cost to either your clinic or the patient.

How do I place an order?

• Complete the medication order and usage reporting form.
• Fax it to 705.677.9611.
• Orders for STI medications are prepared at the Sexual Health Clinic located at Elm Place. Your clinic will be notified when your order is ready for pickup.

Do I need to track anything?

• You must track which patients receive treatment so Public Health can monitor who may still be infectious in the community.
• Print “page 2” of the medication order and usage reporting form to manually record usage, and fax it monthly to 705.677.9611.

TB skin test guide (780 KB, PDF)