Ontario Regulation 495/24, filed on December 6, 2024, under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, introduces several amendments to Regulation 557 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990, addressing communicable diseases in animals. The regulation focuses primarily on animals such as captive birds, poultry flocks, equids, and other animals susceptible to infections that can potentially affect human health, often due to zoonotic transmission.

In terms of reporting obligations, section 5 of the regulation introduces new requirements for animal owners. Specifically, when informed by a medical officer of health that their animals are infected or suspected of infection with psittacosis or ornithosis, owners must provide information on the source and recent distribution of the animals, as well as identify any individuals who may have been exposed to the infected animals. Furthermore, if animals are isolated under the medical officer’s directive, owners are required to report any deaths among the isolated animals during the isolation period and must follow the disposal instructions provided by the medical officer.

Regulation amendments also address infections involving avian influenza and novel influenza viruses, as indicated in subsection 6.1(1). Veterinarians or laboratory directors who suspect that an animal, particularly a captive bird or poultry flock, is infected with avian influenza must immediately notify the Ministry or medical officer of health. Similarly, subsection 6.1(3) revises the notification process when an animal, suspected to be infected with the tapeworm-causing Echinococcus multilocularis, is identified. This amendment requires swift action by the involved professionals, including providing necessary details to health authorities.

Additionally, subsection 6.1(5) introduces a definition for “definitive host,” referring to species that can carry adult tapeworms and shed tapeworm eggs in their feces, specifically wild or domestic canids or felids. This is significant in the context of the regulation’s increased focus on controlling the spread of zoonotic diseases.

A key new section of the regulation is section 6.2, which addresses the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in animals, a pathogen known to affect humans, particularly species like M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. This section mandates that if a veterinarian or laboratory director suspects that an animal is infected with the tuberculosis complex, they must immediately notify the Ministry or medical officer of health and provide detailed information regarding the animal’s location and the owner’s contact details. Moreover, medical officers of health are tasked with determining the extent of the infection, taking measures to prevent human exposure, and ensuring the Ministry is informed of the situation. For those exposed to an infected animal, including during postmortem examinations, there is an immediate obligation to report the exposure to the medical officer. In cases where isolation and treatment are not sufficient to prevent the infection’s spread, medical officers of health are empowered to order the destruction of the animal and the disinfection of premises at the owner’s expense.

Ontario (495/24) Dec 21, 2024