Health Professionals Update - Vol. 18, No. 3

From: 
Rebecca Shalansky, MD MPH CCFP FRCPC 
Associate Medical Officer of Health 

In this issue:

• Candida auris designated as a reportable disease
• Health Professionals Update email subscription

Key messages

• Report all confirmed cases of Candida Auris (C.auris) to Peel Public Health.
• Health professionals and other interested parties can now subscribe to Health Professional Updates (HPUs) online.

Candida auris designated as a reportable disease

As of January 1, 2025, Ontario’s Ministry of Health has designated C. auris as a Disease of Public Health Significance. The reportable communicable diseases has been updated to include C. auris.

Health care providers must report all confirmed cases of C. auris infection to Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700, in Caledon at 905-584-2216, or send lab results by fax to 289-801-0257. C. auris colonization is not reportable.

C. auris is a fungal pathogen that is often multi-drug resistant. It is highly transmissible and can infect any body site, including blood or wounds. It spreads easily in healthcare settings.  Immunocompromised persons, patients in the ICU and residents in long-term care are at greatest risk of severe disease.

From 2012 to 2022, 43 individuals tested positive for C. auris in Canada, 19 (44%) of whom were identified between 2020-2022. C. auris is a global public health threat with cases reported in at least 50 countries on six continents.

For more information, please see:

• PHO Upcoming Events: PHO is planning an upcoming webinar to support healthcare settings with managing cases and outbreaks of C. auris on February 11, 2025.
• Public Health Ontario: Management of a Single New Case of C. auris
• Ministry of Health: Ontario Public Health Standards – Infectious Diseases Protocol – Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information – Disease: Candida auris
• Public Health Ontario:Candida auris

Health Professionals Update email subscription

HPUs have a new look

HPUs look a bit different this year. We have changed the design and format in consultation with Peel physicians to make these updates more user-friendly when accessed on our website. HPUs now better align with accessibility guidelines. These updates are now web-based instead of PDFs files and are web-searchable.

Prioritizing email delivery of HPUs

We are transitioning to prioritizing the delivery of HPUs by email. If you currently receive HPUs by fax, please consider registering to receive them by email only by completing this form.

Anyone can now subscribe to HPU emails

Please feel free to share the HPU registration form with non-physician clinic staff who may be interested in subscribing to HPU emails.

Contact us

The Health Professionals Update (HPU) is distributed to physician offices in Peel region via fax or email. Share this update with other health professionals in your clinic. 
More information:

• Review past HPUs
• Subscribe to HPU emails
• For questions about this update, email healthprofessionals@peelregion.ca