Communicable Diseases
To make an appointment
Call Public Health.
The work of the nurses in the Communicable Diseases Program aims to:
- Prevent infectious diseases (also known as contagious diseases);
- Prevent others from contracting contagious diseases.
The role of nurses
- Identify people with infectious diseases (also known as contagious diseases).
- Ensure that people with infectious diseases receive treatment.
- Provide information to prevent others from contracting the disease.
- Contact people who have been in contact with someone with an infectious disease so they can receive treatment.
- Investigate the cause of an infectious disease.
- Manage infectious disease outbreaks (an outbreak occurs when a large number of people in the same area have a contagious disease).
- Provide support to prevent an infectious disease from spreading within a facility.
- For example, in a school, a seniors’ home, daycare centre, etc.
The Public Health Act and Regulations 2009-136 .pdf (gnb.ca) specify the following:
WHAT: Communicable diseases that must be reported
- There is a list of notifiable diseases (NDE)
WHO: People responsible for reporting these diseases
- Physicians
- Nurse practitioners
- Laboratory staff
- Facility managers
- School principals
- Daycare operators
- People in charge of facilities
- Veterinarians
- Pharmacists
- Midwives
WHEN: When to report a disease
- The NDE list indicates how quickly that information must be supplied.
HOW: How to report a disease
- Reporting forms for notifiable diseases and reportable events
WHY: Why it's important to report these diseases
- Prevent or reduce transmission to others and avoid an outbreak
- Rapidly implement measures to control transmission
- Inform authorities (regional, provincial, national or international)
Reporting forms for notifiable diseases and reportable events
Moncton - Public Health Region 1
Saint John - Public Health Region 2
Fredericton - Public Health Region 3
Edmundston - Public Health Region 4
Campbellton - Public Health Region 5
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is an infection that can be transmitted from one person to another through sexual contact (exchange of semen, vaginal fluids, blood or other body fluids).
A blood borne infection is transmitted through contact with infected blood.
To reduce the risks of contracting sexually transmitted and blood borne infections, it is advisable to:
- Limit your number of sexual and drug use partners;
- Know your sexual or drug use partners’ medical history (infections or communicable diseases);
- Inform your sexual partners if you have a sexually transmitted or blood borne infection and make sure they are being tested and treated;
- Have safe sex;
- Never share drug use equipment with other partners;
- Make sure that you have tattoo and body piercing done with sterile equipment;
- Have regular medical check-ups;
- Talk to a health care provider about the vaccines available to protect you against certain diseases (hepatitis and human papillomavirus);
- Contact AIDS New Brunswick for information, support, and a disposable needle exchange program.
Testing or information
To speak to a health care professional about sexually transmitted or blood-borne infections (STBBIs) or for testing:
- See your family physician;
- See your nurse practitioner;
- Call Tele-Care (811);
- Visit a by-appointment clinic;
- Call 1-833-603-0499;
- Go to eVisitNB;
- Go to NB Health Link.
- Go to NDE
To prevent infections, you need to practise hand hygiene often and correctly:
- When you enter and exit a patient’s room;
- After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose;
- After touching your face;
- After handling soiled material or money;
- After going to the toilet.
Hand hygiene with alcohol-based antiseptic solution (visual):
- Apply the product;
- Rub surfaces of hands and fingers and nail tips;
- Continue rubbing until your hands are dry;
- You can use a hand sanitizer on a regular basis; however, use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty or after going to the toilet.
Caution! This product is flammable. Do not use near open flame.
Hand hygiene with soap and water:
- Wet hands with warm water;
- Apply soap;
- Rub all surfaces of hands and fingers and nail tips for 15-20 seconds.
- Rinse hands with running water;
- Dry hands with a paper towel;
- Turn faucets off using the paper towel;
- Discard the paper towel;
- Use a clean paper towel to open the bathroom door and discard it afterwards.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow (visual)
Do not visit a sick or hospitalized person if you:
- Are sick;
- Have a cough or fever;
- Have unexplained redness or pimples;
- Have skin lesions that cannot be covered;
- Have had diarrhea or vomiting in the past 48 hours.
Reduce the number of persons with HIV through teaching, counseling, screening and referral to appropriate resources.
Public Health nurses:
- Provide free anonymous HIV testing services to residents of New Brunswick and to inmates in provincial and federal correctional institutions;
- Refer infected individuals to the appropriate resources for treatment;
- Raise awareness, teach and advise;
- Consult and collaborate with physicians and other health care professionals.
During anonymous testing, the Public Health nurse doing the blood test does not know the patient’s identity. To preserve anonymity, the patient’s identity is indicated by a code on the chart and laboratory form. To receive test results, patients must present their code in person to the nurse.
To request anonymous HIV testing, please call 1-833-603-0499.
