Under section 7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990 and the Ontario Public Health Standards, all public health units in Ontario are required to ensure partners are notified of exposure to STBBIs. TBDHU works with healthcare professionals to ensure this duty is carried out to the furthest extent possible.
Partner notification enables partners who have been exposed to infection to seek early care and maintain their health, as well as reduces the incidence of serious complications. It may also keep infected partners from further spreading the disease.
Definitions of a Partner/Contact by Infection
- Chlamydia
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Test and provide empiric treatment to all sexual partners of the index case within 60 days prior to symptom onset or date of specimen collection (if the index case is asymptomatic).
Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information (Chlamydia trachomatis infections) | Ministry of Health
- Gonorrhea
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Test and provide empiric treatment to all sexual partners of the index case within 60 days prior to symptom onset or date of specimen collection (if the index case is asymptomatic).
Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information (Gonorrhea) | Ministry of Health
- Syphilis
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- Primary – sexual partners three months prior to onset of symptoms*
- Secondary – sexual partners six months prior to onset of symptoms*
- Early latent – sexual partners one year before diagnosis*
- Late latent – marital partner, long-term partners and children
- All stages – children born to confirmed cases
*partner may test negative if the time between last exposure and testing (window period) is less than one month. Patient will need to be retested two to four weeks after their last test.
Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information (Syphilis) | Ministry of Health
- Chancroid
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Sexual partners within previous two weeks.
Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information (Chancroid) | Ministry of Health
For Further Information
Providers can call (807) 625-8347 or
e-mail TBDHU Sexual Health Nurses at TBDHUSexualHealthNurses@tbdhu.com.
If you are sharing a client’s personal health information, fax 807-625-4866. Do not email personal health information to the Health Unit.