Hepatitis C Point of Care Tests Now available in Ontario! How To Report Positive Results to OPH

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody point of care (POC) tests are now available for rapid, in-office detection of HCV antibodies. HCV POC tests may be beneficial to high-risk and hard to reach patients as the tests can be used in medical or non-medical settings and provide a result in 20-40 minutes.

Patients receiving an HCV POC rapid test could benefit from pre and post-test counselling including the meaning of the Hepatitis C test result and the follow-up testing required, the disease process and...

Public Health Assessment of School Pupil’s Immunization Records: What Physicians Need to Know

Physicians’ role in reminding parents to obtain and report immunizations for schoolchildren

Students attending school in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against nine designated diseases or have a medical or religious/philosophical exemption in accordance to the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). Whereas parents with children attending school are required to report their immunizations to the health unit, physicians play an important role in reminding parents to report their child’s...

Improper use of glucose meters and fingerstick devices (lancets) on multiple patients

To: Ottawa Healthcare ProvidersFrom: Dr. Geneviève Cadieux, Associate Medical Officer of HealthDate: November 22, 2018

On July 30, 2018, OPH sent a memo to Ottawa healthcare providers about the improper use of glucose meters designed for single-patient use on multiple patients, and the associated risk of infectious disease transmission. OPH continues to receive reports concerning improper use of glucose meters and/or fingerstick devices.

For the safety of your patients and your practice, please...

Ontario Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)

We are writing to highlight two items related to the 2018/2019 Ontario Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP).

Flu activity has started in Ontario. As both high-dose TIV and standard-dose QIV are recommended products for seniors 65 years of age and older, do not delay vaccination for a particular product. Both products protect against the flu and the most important thing is for seniors to be vaccinated.

Product Changes for the 2018/2019 UIIP Season

• Quadrivalent inactivated vaccine (QIV)...

Increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Ottawa

To: Ottawa Healthcare ProvidersFrom: Dr. Geneviève Cadieux, Associate Medical Officer of HealthSubject: Increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Ottawa

The purpose of this message is to alert Ottawa emergency and primary care providers to an increase in the number of pertussis cases reported in Ottawa in the past 2 weeks, and to provide a reminder to consider pertussis on your differential diagnosis of cases of persistent cough. In the presence of compatible symptoms and signs (described...