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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 16, 2015 | 36 Infectious diseases are on the increase in Halton to learn all three diseases, including some rare for North Oakville Beaver Staff America, showed up in Halton You would not be surprised over the past five years. In fact, in the past 15 years, to find botulism, leprosy Halton medical officials treated and malaria in Third World one case of botulism (2012), countries. one case of leprosy (2011), 18 So, it might come as shock cases of typhoid fever (two in 2014) and 24 cases of AIDS (two in 2014) and 11 cases of measles (one in 2014). They also treated seven cases of malaria last year Helping Families Every and one case of cholera Step of the Way! in 2008. But the alarming news Dental Check-up is infectious diseases are ment Orthodontist appoint increasing in Halton Hair Cut -- and Ontario for that Eyes Checked matter -- primarily due to an increase in influenza and gonorrhea But what about your spine? Don't forget how incredibly important your spine cases, according to a and nervous system are for your health! report submitted to Call TODAY to schedule your the Region's Health family wellness consultation! and Social Services 250 Wyecroft Rd., Unit 15, Oakville, ON committee this week. Dr. Jenna Davis The report, Family Chiropractor/Acupuncture submitted by Dr. 905.844.WELL (9355) Hamidah Meghani, www.acornhealth.ca Halton's Medical by Bob Mitchell Officer of Health, went before Regional Council last Wednesday (July 8). Influenza changes, depending on the strain, but provincial health officials don't know precisely why there has been an increase in gonorrhea. Health officials are currently examining antibiotic sensitivity and adherence to treatment guidelines. "This is something we're always wondering about," Meghani told committee members. "We're wondering what more can we do?" She said it was important, through education and promotion, adolescents growing up understand the importance of safe sex. "It's not just something in Halton we need to think about. It's something we need to think about as a whole society," she said. "We're working constantly with the school boards and our other partners and different populations in trying to get that message across." Meghani said Halton also provides screening services through its clinics and hopes physicians will take a bigger role in educating patients in the future. Altogether, there were 2,061 cases of reportable infectious diseases brought to the attention of the Halton Region Health Department last year -- a hike of 16 per cent over 2013 when there were 1,778 cases. While influenza tends to fluctuate year-to-year, depending on the subtype or strain of the viruses and vaccine match, the rise in gonorrhea cases has been steady since late 2013, according to the report. The 129 reported gonorrhea cases were almost double the previous five-year average of 66 reported cases. However, Halton's gonorrhea rates continue to be consistently lower than Ontario numbers, local health officials say. Halton is provinciallyrequired to follow up all confirmed gonorrhea cases to ensure prompt treatment and reduce the spread of secondary infections. Since 2012, the Region has consistently followed up every confirmed case within the first two days, officials said. But the most frequentlyreported infectious disease by men and women in Halton continues to be chlamydia, Meghani's report indicated. There were 822 reported cases of chlamydia last year. The next highest was influenza -- with 379 reported cases. However, statistically, these rates were still significantly lower compared to Ontario. Encephalitis and meningitis, including bacterial meningitis, were slightly higher in Halton, compared to other parts of Ontario, the report indicated. Infectious diseases are spread from close personal contact, sexual contact, contaminated food or water, animals or other environmental sources. Halton medical officials are required to investigate reports of individual cases and respond to outbreaks in both the community and in institutions, such as long-term care homes, acute-care settings, child-care settings, schools, colleges, and correctional institutions. In 2014, Halton's health department investigated 111 reported outbreaks in connection with 2,120 ill persons. Some 48 of these outbreaks occurred in Burlington, 34 in Oakville, 15 in Milton and 13 in Halton Hills. There was also one outbreak at a facility outside of Halton, but included Halton residents. Of the total reported outbreaks, 43 per cent occurred in long-term care homes, 25 per cent in child care centres, 24 per cent in retirement homes, four per cent in hospitals and four per cent at community events. These outbreaks lasted between one and five weeks with the most common months for the outbreaks in the winter, half of which occurred in December, January and February. Of the 2,120 people who became ill, 1,695 or 80 per cent were patients or clients while 425 were staff of the affected premises In total, 9,600 clients and 6,082 staff were at risk of becoming ill because of an outbreak in their facility and were subsequently subject to increased infection control procedures. The report indicated last year, the 10 most frequently reported infectious diseases accounted for almost 90 per cent of all reportable infectious diseases among Halton Residents. As indicated, there were 822 cases of chlamydia, 379 cases of influenza, 129 cases of gonorrhea, 128 cases of campylobacter enteritis (the most common mode of transmission of this disease is through ingestion of the organisms in undercooked meat, contaminated food or water, or unpasteurized milk), 118 cases of salmonellosis, 102 cases of Hepatitis C, 46 cases of giardiasis (an infection of the small intestine causing acute diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, frequent loose, pale, greasy stools, fatigue, malabsorption), 41 cases of streptococcus pneumoniainvasive, 36 cases of encephalitis and meningitis and 23 cases of streptococcal infectious Group A. As well, emergency department visits and hospitalizations for infectious diseases were one-and-a-half times higher among Halton residents living in lowerincome neighbourhoods compared to those in higherincome neighbourhoods, according to the report. "But this is a global concern. It's not just Halton or Ontario," Meghani said. "It's a global concern of incomes related to all sorts of health problems, including infectious diseases." For more in-depth numbers from this story, visit www. insidehalton.com. Why Do Oakville Families Trust Us with All Their Dental Needs? CosmetiC & Family Dentistry · implants invisalign · Dentures... From start to Finish! CROWN/DENTURE REPAIRS & RELINES, WHILE YOU WAIT Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 1pm seniors DisCount Free Consultations New patients & ChilDren welcoMe OAKVILLE'S ONLY DENTAL OFFICE WITH A LAB ON PREMISES 2274 Lakeshore Rd. W. (at East Street) Oakville 905-827-2066 · www.brontedentist.com Dr. Michael Vo d.m.d · Kim Chung d.d.