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To advance infection prevention and control by advocating for our members and providing access to evidence-based resources, education and networking opportunities.

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Learn all about IPAC Canada’s long history, starting with our founding meeting in Montreal in 1976.

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An Infection Prevention and Control Professional (ICP) is an individual who is primarily responsible for development, implementation and evaluation of, and education related to policies, procedures, and practices that impact the prevention of infections.

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Guardians of the Invisible. A Tribute.

IPAC Canada Board of Directors

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IPAC Canada’s complete list of news releases and briefs.

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Meet IPAC Canada’s honourary members.

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Meet IPAC Canada’s past presidents.

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Your donation will add to the resources IPAC Canada requires to provide its members with the support they need to ensure the safety of patients, residents, and staff, and to advocate for stronger infection prevention and control programs across the continuum of care.

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Find out how to get in touch with IPAC Canada.

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This hybrid online and in-person course will offer intensive training for IPAC professionals, focusing on Long Term Care (LTC). Although this regulatory requirement is specific to Ontario, the skills and knowledge gained from this course will be valuable for professionals in all provinces.

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Conference Archives

An Infection Prevention and Control Professional1 (ICP) is an individual who is employed with the primary responsibility for development, implementation, evaluation, and education related to policies, procedures, and practices that impact the prevention of infections.

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Being prepared makes all the difference. Join our mission to advance infection prevention and control. You may renew an existing IPAC Canada membership via your personal Online Membership Account if you created one for yourself in the past.

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Employment Opportunities will be posted to this page, included in bi-monthly e-news, and forwarded to a regional chapter or sector of membership (if appropriate).

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Our annual report archives contain all of IPAC Canada’s current and previous reports.

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Complete information about our annual general meeting, elections and reports.

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The Mentorship Program not only serves to assist mentees progressing through various stages of knowledge in their career, and also those considering moving into leadership roles within IPAC Canada, such as chapter executive positions, or board member positions.

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Important Dates and Deadlines

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The IPAC Program Audit Tool (PAT©) is designed for internal auditing of a health care organization’s IPAC program, to verify that the IPAC program standards are being met. The PAT© may also be used as part of an organization’s ongoing quality improvement program and/or to prepare for external audits (audits carried out by outside agencies such as Accreditation Canada). The audit tool has been condensed into a standalone workbook for the convenience of the auditor.

Click the PAT icon at left to find out more, and download this valuable tool.
HandyMetrics and IPAC Canada have partnered to transform the IPAC Canada Audit Toolkit into an easy-to-use App. The App is free to members who are affiliated with an organization that provides healthcare directly to patients in Canada.

Click the icon at left to find out more and get started.
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Home Resource Centre Infectious Disease Resources Zika Virus

Zika Virus

In 2015, Zika virus first emerged in South America with widespread outbreaks reported in Brazil and Colombia. In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. On February 1, 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Geography and Travel

Zika virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (A. aegypti and A. albopictus). Neither of these species of mosquito live in Canada. Recently, mosquito-related transmission has been described in the southern U.S. More information…

In Canada, there have been a number of cases of Zika virus detected in travellers returning from other countries. The first Canadian case of Zika virus-related microcephaly in an infant born to a mother infected with Zika virus while abroad has been reported. Sexually transmitted cases of Zika virus have also been reported in Canada. For more information and current statistics on Zika virus cases in Canada, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website.

Those travelling to countries where these mosquitoes are found and local transmission has occurred should protect themselves from mosquito bites. For travel information:

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. Other symptoms may include muscle pain, weakness, lack of energy and headaches. The incubation period of Zika virus is 3 to 12 days. The illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.

Infection Prevention and Control

[ref: CDC]
The Zika virus can be found in blood for up to one week and has been shown to be present in semen and breast milk. Documented cases of Zika virus transmission have occurred during labour (intrapartum transmission from mother to newborn), blood transfusion and laboratory exposure. Sexual transmission has also been documented. Transmission through breastfeeding has not been documented.

Infection control precautions when caring for a patient with Zika virus include Routine Practices, particularly hand hygiene, gloves for contact with blood, and prevention of needlesticks.

More Information

For more information on Zika virus: