Enteric diseases are a significant contributor to the overall burden of reportable illnesses in Ontario, accounting for approximately 9,500 cases in 2011. Consumption of contaminated food and water, contact with animals and their environment, and person-to-person contact constitute important modes of transmission for enteric illnesses. In this session, we will present the overall findings of a study pertaining to enteric diseases associated with animal contact in Ontario (Whitfield et. al., 2017). Analysis of reportable disease data reported in the integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) revealed that approximately 26% of cases of enteric pathogens reported contact with animals or their environments in the period 2010 to 2012, with the most frequently identified points of exposure being farms, dogs and cats, and reptiles, respectively. This represents an increase in comparison to the approximate 6% reported in the period 1997 to 2003 (Lee, Middleton, 2003).
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the overall burden of enteric zoonoses in Ontario.
- List the categories of animals and their environments that are resulting in enteric illnesses.
- Interpret risk factors more accurately for the purpose of identifying the source of enteric illnesses.