Community Acquired Infections Division

About Us

The Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Section designs, develops, implements and supports projects that contribute to the prevention of hepatitis C infection; supports people infected with or affected by the disease; and increases public awareness about hepatitis C. In addition, the Community Acquired Infections Division provides the focal point for ensuring a coordinated and integrated federal public health response to hepatitis C.

In concert with health, education and other inter-sectoral partners, the Sexual Health and STI Section promotes the physical and psychosocial well being of Canadians through sexual health promotion activities. Such activities include the development of national guidelines; publication of national consensus statements and policy recommendations; development of targeted research studies; and, coordination of the dissemination and exchange of information. The Section supports efforts to prevent and control sexually transmitted infections and their complications, including cancer and infertility.

The Surveillance and Epidemiology Section of the Community Acquired Infections Division is responsible for routine and enhanced STI and community-acquired Hepatitis C surveillance, epidemiology and research. We work closely with our colleagues to ensure an integrated approach to surveillance and research and to provide data, analysis and interpretation to inform and support prevention, policy and programming activities related to STIs and community-acquired Hepatitis C in CAID. In turn, our surveillance and research priorities are guided by those program areas. This section contributes to broader initiatives within the Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control for enhanced surveillance of populations vulnerable to sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infections, and we collaborate with provincial and territorial representatives, international agencies and other partners to improve behavioural and disease surveillance for public health action.

In order to enhance Tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control, the Division's Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Section provides leadership and co-ordination in policy and program initiatives. In collaboration with partners at various levels (regional, provincial/territorial, national and international) key activities of the Section include: the dissemination of valuable surveillance and epidemiology information on TB cases; TB drug resistance and TB infection and disease in persons living and working in the Canadian federal correctional facilities. In addition, the section co-publishes the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards for prevention and treatment, provides technical assistance (upon request) to provinces and territories to help prevent and control outbreaks, works with others in targeted research projects, and sponsors the Canadian Tuberculosis Committee.

The Policy, Evaluation and Extraordinary Assistance Plan Section provides policy advice, performance monitoring, risk assessment/management and program evaluation services to the Division. In collaboration with section partners, it provides policy support and infectious disease expertise to other Departments; for example, support to Health Canada on hepatitis C compensation issues. The section administers and evaluates the Hepatitis C Undertaking Agreement, which provides transfer payments to the provinces and territories to assist them in the provision of hepatitis C health care services. The section also administers the Extraordinary Assistance Plan providing compensation to individuals who became infected with HIV through the Canadian blood system.