JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-30eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0015
Wayne Leung, Janhavi Bhalla, Lili Ataie, Sameer Elsayed, Lise Bondy, Megan Devlin, Sarah Shalhoub, Huma Saeed, Mahshid Mohammadi, Michael Silverman, Reza Rahimi Shahmirzadi
{"title":"Use of Dalbavancin in Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections: Case Series from a Canadian Perspective.","authors":"Wayne Leung, Janhavi Bhalla, Lili Ataie, Sameer Elsayed, Lise Bondy, Megan Devlin, Sarah Shalhoub, Huma Saeed, Mahshid Mohammadi, Michael Silverman, Reza Rahimi Shahmirzadi","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0015","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) with intravenous (IV) antibiotics is difficult in marginalized populations, such as people who inject drugs, due to issues such as unstable housing or mental health conditions. These factors often require extended hospital admissions for IV antibiotics. Dalbavancin, a novel lipoglycopeptide antibiotic effective against gram-positive bacteria, lasts over 14 days and may be suitable for patients who struggle with traditional IV antibiotic administration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a case series in which we reviewed 19 patients referred to our cellulitis clinic in London, Ontario, Canada, between February 1 and July 30, 2023, who received a single dose of IV dalbavancin for ABSSSIs as out-patients. Those who were enrolled had severe infections requiring IV antibiotics, with psychosocial factors pre-cluding out-patient IV therapy, or were at high risk of non-adherence to oral antibiotics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age of patients was 43 (range 36-56 years); they were mostly male (74%), unemployed (89%), and with unstable housing (58%). Positive outcomes were observed in 13 out of 19 (68%) patients; 3 out of 19 had indeterminate outcomes (could not be reached for follow-up but were not admitted to any institution within our catchment area) and 3 out of 19 had negative outcomes (needed further antibiotics following dalbavancin).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our experience shows that a single IV dose of dalbavancin is effective in treating ABSSSIs in patients with complex psychosocial factors, as positive outcomes were observed in most patients. Dalbavancin eliminates the need for indwelling IV access and may reduce hospital admissions for patients for whom traditional antibiotic regimens may be challenging.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"40-52"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258635/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-30eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0018
Agatha Jassem, Tess MacIntyre, Yin Chang, Frankie Tsang, Janet Fung, Mel Krajden, Jennifer Grant, Linda Hoang
{"title":"Detection of Atypical Bacteria, Including <i>Mycoplasma Pneumoniae</i>, British Columbia, Canada, 2013-2023.","authors":"Agatha Jassem, Tess MacIntyre, Yin Chang, Frankie Tsang, Janet Fung, Mel Krajden, Jennifer Grant, Linda Hoang","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0018","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Global reports suggest heightened <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> (Mp) activity during the fall of 2023. However, it is unclear how testing strategy changes and preventative measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced these conclusions. The objective of this study was to summarize the effects of implementing a new respiratory testing method (Luminex NxTAG Respiratory Pathogen Panel [RPP]) on the rate of detection of three types of atypical bacteria (AB) (Mp, <i>Legionella pneumophila</i> [Lp], and <i>Chlamydophila pneumoniae</i> [Cp]) in British Columbia (BC), as well as to summarize case detections throughout the province during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to determine if there were emerging concerns regarding Mp infections in BC as seen in other jurisdictions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 2013-2023 laboratory testing data from the provincial lab in BC, divided into periods before syndromic testing, after syndromic testing was implemented (via xTAG RPP), during the COVID-19 pandemic, and after the pandemic.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following introduction of the Luminex NxTAG RPP, detection of Mp and Cp cases increased 11-fold and 4-fold, respectively, while Lp detection was not significantly affected. Relatively few cases of Mp were recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, although following relaxation of COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures, Mp resurgent activity was observed that remained within expected levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Detection of AB in BC increased following implementation of the Luminex NxTAG RPP, decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and returned to seasonal circulation after the pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"73-77"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258644/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-28eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2023-0038
Anish Krishnan, Irina Rajakumar, Joanne Salmon
{"title":"Vancomycin-Resistant <i>Enterococcus Faecium</i> Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis Treated with Daptomycin and Ampicillin Combination.","authors":"Anish Krishnan, Irina Rajakumar, Joanne Salmon","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2023-0038","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2023-0038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vancomycin resistant <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> (VRE) bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE) are difficult to treat and associated with high mortality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We describe a case of a 78-year-old male with VRE prosthetic valve endocarditis treated with combined daptomycin/ampicillin. We review published literature on the treatment of VRE IE and summarize other published case reports of daptomycin combination therapy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Prompt clearance of bacteremia was achieved. Cardiac valve replacement surgery was pursued but was followed by post-operative complications and ultimately the patient did not survive.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is limited published literature on the treatment of VRE IE and an optimal antibiotic regimen has not been established. This case adds to the growing body of literature demonstrating the use of daptomycin and beta-lactam combination therapy for VRE bacteremia and endocarditis. Combination therapy may be an appropriate choice for select cases; however, reports of treatment failure warrant caution.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"90-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12263162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-23eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0030
Mohammad Rubayet Hasan, Patrick Tang, Anju Sharma, Padman Jayaratne, Candy Rutherford, Sathyavathi Sundararaju, Mohammed Suleiman, Daniela Leto, Deborah Yamamura, Andres Perez-Lopez, Marek Smieja
{"title":"Multicentre Experience on the Diagnostic Yield of PCR Testing for Bacterial Pathogens in Sterile Site Infections.","authors":"Mohammad Rubayet Hasan, Patrick Tang, Anju Sharma, Padman Jayaratne, Candy Rutherford, Sathyavathi Sundararaju, Mohammed Suleiman, Daniela Leto, Deborah Yamamura, Andres Perez-Lopez, Marek Smieja","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0030","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Infections in sterile body sites are serious despite their low incidence. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective antimicrobial management. This study assessed the diagnostic yield of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in identifying bacterial pathogens in sterile site specimens other than blood and cerebrospinal fluid.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Bacterial pathogen PCR panels were independently developed and validated by the laboratories at the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program (HRLMP) in Canada and Sidra Medicine in Qatar. Retrospective culture and PCR data for the periods of July 2022 to November 2023 and September 2021 to February 2023 were extracted from the laboratory information systems of HRLMP and Sidra Medicine, respectively. The diagnostic yield of PCR between different groups was compared using the McNemar test or chi-square test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Validation studies showed 100% sensitivity for PCR assays in both laboratories, with varying specificity due to the detection of additional pathogens by PCR. Combining post-implementation data from both laboratories, 38.7% of 512 specimens were PCR-positive for target organisms, compared to 6.1% by culture. While the diagnostic yield of PCR was significantly higher than that of culture in both adult and paediatric populations (<i>p</i> < .001), HRLMP data indicated a significantly higher diagnostic yield of PCR in the paediatric population compared to adults (64.7% versus 17.4%; <i>p</i> < .001). The most commonly PCR-detected pathogens were <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>, <i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i>, and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, with pleural fluid being the most frequently positive specimen type.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study supports using PCR alongside culture to enhance pathogen detection and improve the management of sterile site infections, particularly in paediatric patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"78-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258650/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-20eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0016
Matthew P Cheng, Isabel H Gonzalez-Bocco, Esther Arbonna-Haddad, Muneerah Aleissa, Kaiwen Chen, Eric Zhou, Katherine Beluch, Alyssa Cho, Sandra Burchett, Elizabeth Moulton, Michaël Desjardins, Lindsey R Baden, Sophia Koo, Alyssa R Letourneau, Sarah P Hammond, Jerome Ritz, Robert Soiffer, Nicolas C Issa, Haesook T Kim, Amy C Sherman
{"title":"Letermovir Treatment for Refractory or Resistant Cytomegalovirus Infection or Disease or with Concurrent Organ Dysfunction: A Phase 2 Open Label Study.","authors":"Matthew P Cheng, Isabel H Gonzalez-Bocco, Esther Arbonna-Haddad, Muneerah Aleissa, Kaiwen Chen, Eric Zhou, Katherine Beluch, Alyssa Cho, Sandra Burchett, Elizabeth Moulton, Michaël Desjardins, Lindsey R Baden, Sophia Koo, Alyssa R Letourneau, Sarah P Hammond, Jerome Ritz, Robert Soiffer, Nicolas C Issa, Haesook T Kim, Amy C Sherman","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0016","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Refractory or resistant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease pose a significant challenge in immunocompromised patients, including solid organ transplant (SOT) and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients. This study aimed to evaluate letermovir as a treatment for patients with CMV infection or disease.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed an open-label, phase II non-randomized clinical trial. Adult and paediatric (≥12 years of age) patients who had undergone an SOT or allo-HCT and who required antiviral treatment for refractory or resistant CMV or who had CMV with concurrent organ dysfunction were eligible. Patients received letermovir treatment daily for up to 12 weeks with an optional additional 12 weeks of therapy for secondary prophylaxis if clinically indicated. The primary objectives were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of letermovir treatment based upon virological and clinical responses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten patients were enrolled in the study, and seven patients completed the study treatment and follow-up period. The overall virological response (defined as a complete virological response at the end of the study period) rate was 60% in the study population. The study drug was well tolerated, as only two patients experienced study drug-related toxicity and only one grade 3 toxicity (elevated ALT) was observed. Letermovir was not associated with acute kidney injury, hepatotoxicity, cardiac arrhythmias, or bone marrow suppression.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this limited sample, letermovir for CMV treatment was safe and well tolerated. Further research is needed to determine if letermovir can be used for the treatment of refractory or resistant CMV infection or disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"6-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258647/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2025-01-07eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0026
Zulma Vanessa Rueda, Luisa Arroyave, Mariana Herrera, Ameeta E Singh, Stuart Skinner, Cara Spence, Lauren J MacKenzie, Ken Kasper, Laurie Ireland, Julianne Sanguins, Katharina Maier, Margaret Haworth-Brockman, Yoav Keynan
{"title":"Evolution and Possible Explanations for the Trends in New HIV Diagnoses in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, Compared to the Rest of Canada, 1985-2022.","authors":"Zulma Vanessa Rueda, Luisa Arroyave, Mariana Herrera, Ameeta E Singh, Stuart Skinner, Cara Spence, Lauren J MacKenzie, Ken Kasper, Laurie Ireland, Julianne Sanguins, Katharina Maier, Margaret Haworth-Brockman, Yoav Keynan","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0026","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Canada aims to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. However, the provinces Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba reported 564 new HIV diagnoses in 2021 and over 600 in 2022. This study describes changes in HIV epidemiology in these three provinces compared to the rest of Canada between 1985 and 2022.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was an ecological study that used data from publicly available HIV reports published by the Governments of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Canada from the first reported HIV diagnoses to the latest available information. Variables of interest included number of HIV diagnoses per year (new, introduced), advanced HIV disease, proportion of diagnoses by sex (female/male), ethnicity, age, self-reported HIV mode of transmission, and mortality. We report the HIV incidence, advanced HIV disease, and mortality over time by province, and by sex, ethnicity, age, and mode of HIV transmission when data are available.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Canadian HIV incidence decreased over time, while new HIV diagnoses in Manitoba and Saskatchewan increased to the highest ever recorded. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the male-to-female ratio is 1:1, while in Alberta and Canada, it is 2:1. Indigenous people have been overrepresented in Saskatchewan and Manitoba diagnoses since 2006 and 2016, respectively. The most common modes of HIV transmission are injection drug use and heterosexual sex in Saskatchewan and Manitoba for several years, while \"out-of-country\" is the most common category in Alberta. The advanced HIV disease and mortality statistics have decreased over time in Canada and the three provinces.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HIV incidence in Canada has slowly decreased; however, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have shown unprecedented increases in HIV incidence. The current epidemiology requires immediate public health action from local, provincial, and federal governments, considering that Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba contribute to about 40% of all new HIV diagnoses in Canada.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"10 1","pages":"15-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258641/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2024-12-19eCollection Date: 2024-12-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0013
Torrance Oravec, Erin Ready, Mark Hull, Alissa Wright
{"title":"Management of Antiretroviral Therapy and Opportunistic Infections in People Living with HIV Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in British Columbia.","authors":"Torrance Oravec, Erin Ready, Mark Hull, Alissa Wright","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0013","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A growing number of people living with HIV (PLWH) are developing an indication for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). While overlapping immunosuppression and medication interactions make this a complicated situation, the risk is mitigable, and PLWH should have similar access to HSCT as the general population. There are currently no guidelines available for the management of HSCT in PLWH, and through this document we hope to provide initial guidance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a non-systematic review of published English-language literature regarding medication and opportunistic infection risk management in both PLWH and HSCT recipients, as well as local, national, and international guidelines. We then generated recommendations for PLWH undergoing HSCT that went through multiple rounds of review with the authors and expert peers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients living with well-controlled HIV are expected to have similar outcomes with HSCT as people without HIV. Focus should be on minimizing interruptions in antiretroviral therapy, avoiding drug-drug interactions (minimized with integrase strand transfer inhibitors), and managing overlapping toxicities. Opportunistic infections common in both advanced HIV and in HSCT include <i>Pneumocystis</i> pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, and cytomegalovirus, with nontuberculous mycobacteria and cryptococcosis being somewhat more common in advanced HIV. Assuming a patient has well-controlled HIV, most of the opportunistic infection risk is due to transplant-related immunosuppression, and we provide specific prophylactic recommendations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PLWH should have similar access to HSCT as people without HIV, and we offer this document as guidance to support hematology/oncology providers.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"9 4","pages":"249-273"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258640/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2024-12-19eCollection Date: 2024-12-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0008
Kathleen Whyte, Andrea Chittle, Raymond Sw Tsang
{"title":"Syphilis Point-of-Care Tests (POCTs): Implementation Considerations in Canada.","authors":"Kathleen Whyte, Andrea Chittle, Raymond Sw Tsang","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0008","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Starting in the early 2000s, the rate of infectious syphilis in Canada began rising. Since the mid-2010s, the rate among females, particularly females in their reproductive years, has increased rapidly. Coincident with this shift, congenital syphilis has re-emerged in Canada in recent years. Infectious and congenital syphilis disproportionately impact communities affected by social and structural determinants of health, including homelessness and inadequate or inaccessible health care services. These realities underscore the importance of emerging strategies, including rapid diagnostic tests that can be deployed at the point of care, as tools to help reverse these trends. Increased access to testing is one of the pillars of the Pan-Canadian Framework for Action on Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBI) and the Government of Canada's STBBI Action Plan 2024-2030. The National Microbiology Laboratory Branch of the Public Health Agency of Canada has worked towards introducing rapid diagnostic tests including point-of-care tests (POCTs) for STBBI testing. With Health Canada's first approval of a syphilis POCT (bioLytical's INSTI MULTIPLEX HIV-1/2 Syphilis Ab Test) in 2023, it is timely to reflect on important implementation considerations for this and other syphilis POCTs in Canada. In this article, we aim to review antibody-detecting syphilis POCTs that are commercially available, their performance in recent Canadian field studies, and key contextual considerations for Canada in implementing POCTs for syphilis.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"9 4","pages":"208-218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258646/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
JAMMIPub Date : 2024-12-19eCollection Date: 2024-12-01DOI: 10.3138/jammi-2024-0021
Warren J McIsaac, Sahana Kukan
{"title":"Describing the Role of a COVID Assessment Centre During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada.","authors":"Warren J McIsaac, Sahana Kukan","doi":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0021","DOIUrl":"10.3138/jammi-2024-0021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Little has been written about the role of COVID assessment centres set up during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This descriptive study reviewed and compared COVID cases presenting to the Mount Sinai Hospital COVID assessment centre and emergency departments over a 4-month period at the start of the pandemic in 2020.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 185 COVID-positive presentations, 115 (62.2%) were assessed in the COVID assessment centre and 70 (37.8%) in the emergency department. Patients seen in the COVID assessment centre tended to be younger (mean age 33.5 years) than in the emergency department (mean age 51.8 years, <i>P</i> < .001), had fewer comorbidities (<i>P</i> ≤ .05 for hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and cancer), and were less likely to have shortness of breath, fever, or focal lung findings (<i>P</i> < .01 for all). Chest imaging was ordered for 57.1% of emergency department cases versus 0% for COVID assessment centre cases (<i>P</i> < .001). Overall, 21 out of 69 (30.4%) COVID-positive cases were admitted from the emergency department, while all COVID assessment centre cases were discharged home.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Mount Sinai COVID assessment centre assessed the majority of COVID cases early on in the pandemic at this site. While these were milder COVID infections, this decreased the overall number of COVID infections that might otherwise have needed to be seen in the emergency department.</p>","PeriodicalId":36782,"journal":{"name":"JAMMI","volume":"9 4","pages":"308-311"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12258630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}