Surveillance of Clostridium perfringens infection
Learn about Clostridium perfringens infection surveillance.
On this page
- Number of cases of Clostridium perfringens infection in Canada
- How Canada monitors Clostridium perfringens infection
- For more information
Number of cases of Clostridium perfringens infection in Canada
There are an estimated 177,000 infections of Clostridium perfringens each year in Canada.
Clostridium perfringens outbreaks are common in Canada and most frequently occur in a local setting. They often happen at community events and in institutions, such as:
- hospitals
- cafeterias
- events catered by companies
- long-term care facilities
A case refers to illness in 1 person. An outbreak means there were 2 or more people linked by a common exposure within a specific time frame.
How Canada monitors Clostridium perfringens infection
Clostridium perfringens infections are not tracked in Canada. This is because symptoms of illness are typically mild and last less than a day. People experiencing this illness are unlikely to seek medical attention. Therefore, infections are not reported or captured by national surveillance systems.
Outbreaks may be reported to local public health and investigations occur to determine if there is a common source of illness.