Herpes Simplex (neonatal or congenital)
December 1, 2023
Unless stated otherwise, the NWT Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) is using the information regarding case definition, diagnosis, overview of communicable disease and public health measures found in the Alberta Health Services Public Health Disease Management Guidelines
Note: Any additional information that is NWT specific will be found on this page and supersedes the direction provided in the Alberta Health Services resource. This includes but is not limited to reporting requirements and specified public health measures set out below.
See Alberta Public Health Disease Management Guidelines: herpes simplex (neonatal or congenital).
REPORTING
All HCPs must follow the NWT Public Health Act. Measures for contact tracing and legislative requirements are laid out within the Reportable Disease Control Regulations and reporting timelines are found in the Disease Surveillance Regulations.
Note: the only acceptable methods of reporting to the OCPHO are outlined below. Information provided outside of these methods will not be considered reported unless otherwise stated by a CPHO delegate.
Health Care Professionals
For Part 3 written report within 7 days
- Confirmed and probable cases are to be reported to the Office of the Chief Public Health Office (OCPHO) within 7 days after diagnosis is made or opinion is formed by completing and fax (867-873-0442) the following:
- If there are any updates regarding the case or contacts the appropriate form will need to be resent with the additional information
- Immediately report all outbreaks or suspect outbreaks by telephone (867) 920-8646 to the OCPHO
Laboratories
- Report all positive results to the OCPHO by fax (867) 873-0442 within 24 hours
PUBLIC & HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
For more information on neonatal herpes simplex:
- Canadian Paediatric Society: Prevention and management of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections | Canadian Paediatric Society (cps.ca)
- Public Health Agency of Canada: Pathogen Safety Data Sheets: Infectious Substances – Herpes simplex virus - Canada.ca
- World Health Organization (WHO): Herpes simplex virus (who.int)
EPIDEMIOLOGY
- For information on the epidemiology of neonatal herpes simplex in the NWT see: Epidemiological Summary of Communicable Diseases HSS Professionals.