The region’s most common infectious diseases? Here’s your list

If you’ve ever been curious about the most common infectious diseases in the Greater Sudbury area, prepare to have your curiousity sated.

The Sudbury and District Health Unit has provided a list of the top 10 communicable and infectious diseases in the region.

The diseases most commonly seen are of three main types: foodborne, sexually transmitted and bloodborne, and vaccine preventable. 

Foodborne illnesses are, not surprisingly, caused by ingesting food or beverages that have been contaminated by microorganisms. Sexually transmitted infections and bloodborne infections (STIs and BBIs) are caused by microorganisms that are spread from person-to-person contact, often during sexual contact when body fluids are exchanged. They can also be spread through blood or body fluid contact with an infected person. 

Vaccine-preventable diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses for which effective vaccines are available to prevent illness.

The SDHU listed diseases with an average annual case count of 10 or more. 

1. Chlamydia
2. Influenza
3. Hepatitis C
4. Gonorrhea
5. Salmonellosis
6. Invasive Pneumococcal Disease
7. Campylobacteriosis
8. Giardiasis
9. Invasive Group A Streptococcus.
10. HIV

How about the number of those cases seen by the SDHU in 2015?

1. There were 662 cases of chlamydia, and the rate was higher than the Ontario rate.
2. There were 148 cases of influenza, and the rate was similar to the Ontario rate.
3. There were 119 cases of hepatitis C, and the rate was higher than the Ontario rate.
4. There were 70 cases of gonorrhea, and the rate was lower than the Ontario rate.
5. There were 33 cases of salmonellosis, and the rate was similar to the Ontario rate.
6. There were 25 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease, and the rate was higher than the Ontario rate.
7. There were 23 cases of campylobacteriosis, and the rate was lower than the Ontario rate.
8. There were 17 cases of giardiasis, and the rate was lower than the Ontario rate.
9. There were 14 cases of invasive group A streptococcus, and the rate was higher than the Ontario rate.
10. There were 11 cases of HIV, and the rate was similar to the Ontario rate.