Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada最新文献

{"title":"Canadian results from the European Men-who-have-sex-with-men Internet survey (EMIS-2017).","authors":"N. Brogan, D. Paquette, N. Lachowsky, M. Blais, D. Brennan, T. Hart, B. Adam","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a01","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000In 2017, the international European Men-who-have-sex-with-men Internet Survey (EMIS-2017) collected data from 50 countries, including Canada for the first time.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To provide an overview of the Canadian EMIS-2017 data to describe the sexually transmitted and other bloodborne infection (STBBI) related needs of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM).\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000The EMIS-2017 questionnaire was an updated version of EMIS-2010. It included self-reported sociodemographic data, experience of discrimination, mental health and substance use, knowledge of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, sexual practices and history of STBBI testing and diagnosis. Analysis was largely descriptive.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Of the 6,059 respondents from Canada, 5,165 participants met the inclusion criteria for this analysis. The majority of participants were born in Canada (79.3%); and over half of the respondents (56.7%) were under the age of 39. In terms of discrimination related to their attraction to other men, participants reported high levels of intimidation (31.9%), verbal abuse (22.1%) and physical violence (1.5%) in the previous year. Regarding mental health, 23.9% had a moderate to severe depression/anxiety score. Almost two-thirds (64.1%) indicated substance use and one-fifth (21.5%) reported chemsex (or the use of stimulant drugs to make sex more intense or last longer). Only 8.4% of participants reported use of PrEP for HIV; however, 51.7% reported being likely to use PrEP if it was available and affordable. Sexual practices, such as condom use, varied by PrEP use with 91.3% of men using PrEP reporting condomless anal intercourse (CAI) compared with 71.5% of men not on PrEP. In terms of STBBI testing, 1.5% reported being diagnosed with hepatitis C and 9.0% reported an HIV diagnosis. Of those with an HIV diagnosis, most were on treatment (99.1%) and had an undetectable viral load (96.7%).\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000gbMSM in Canada experienced stigma, discrimination and mental health problems; substance use was high as were high-risk sexual practices, such as CAI, among some groups of men. There was a gap between the proportion of men who were interested in PrEP and those who actually used it; and comprehensive STBBI testing was low.These findings can inform public health action and provide a baseline to examine the impact of current and new interventions.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"8 1","pages":"271-282"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74302394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increase in detection of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in Canada: 2006-2019.","authors":"K. Bernard, A. L. Pacheco, T. Burdz, D. Wiebe","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a04","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000Increasingly, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) has been used to provide rapid, inexpensive and precise identification of bacteria, including Corynebacterium species. Only three Corynebacterium species are able to produce diphtheria toxin (DT), and strains recovered may be either toxin-producing or non-toxin-producing. It appears the more precise bacterial identification provided by MALDI-TOF systems has led to an increase in requests submitted to the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) for toxin testing.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To describe the number of isolates identified as C. diphtheriae, C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis, submitted to the NML between January 2006 and July 30, 2019, including their geographic area, source, and whether they produce DT.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000Referrals to the NML of human or animal isolates that were identified as any of those three Corynebacterium species were studied with respect to province, source and toxigenicity. Species identification was confirmed and then specimens were tested by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of tox genes and, if positive, for expression of DT by the modified Elek method. Analysis was descriptive.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Over the study period, 639 isolates were identified as C. diphtheriae, 22 isolates as C. ulcerans; no isolates were identified as C. pseudotuberculosis. There was an increase in C. diphtheriae referrals for DT testing: from eight per year in 2006 to an average of 15 per month in 2019, or a 1,200% increase over the 13.6-year period. The referrals were primarily from western Canada (n=609/639; 95%). Most (638/639, 99%) were human isolates and most were obtained from cutaneous sites. Of those isolates, 87/639 (13.6%) were found to be toxigenic and 552/639 (86.4%) non-toxigenic. Among C. ulcerans referrals, 17/22 (77%) were from humans and five (23%) were from animals, with 10/22 (45%) being toxigenic.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000There has been a marked increase in referrals to the NML for DT testing of Corynebacterium species. This could be due to the enhanced ability to identify these bacteria using MALDI-TOF systems. Ongoing monitoring will help to assess whether the increase is due solely to increased precision of diagnosis or whether these are emerging cutaneous pathogens.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"139 1","pages":"296-301"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86619676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Public health investigation of infection prevention and control complaints in Ontario, 2015-2018.","authors":"G. Cadieux, C. Brown, H. Sachdeva","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i11a03","url":null,"abstract":"Background Following an update to the provincial Infection Prevention and Control Complaint Protocol in 2015, Ontario public health units have been mandated to investigate infection prevention and control (IPAC) complaints in various settings, including those where regulated health professionals work. No surveillance system exists for IPAC complaints; therefore, little is known about their occurrence. Anecdotal evidence suggests a recent increase in IPAC complaints resulting in increased demand on public health resources. Objectives To describe the occurrence of IPAC complaints and lapses in Ontario in 2015-2018 and the public health response to these. Methods Ontario public health units were surveyed about the occurrence and key challenges of IPAC complaint investigations through closed- and open-ended questions. The survey was disseminated through the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health listserv. Data collection spanned February 4-28, 2019. Descriptive statistical analyses and thematic analysis of free-text responses were performed. Results Twenty-one public health units responded for a 60% response rate; fewer responding health units had a population size of less than 100,000. A nearly six-fold increase in IPAC complaints was found, from a total of 79 complaints in 2015 to 451 in 2018. IPAC lapses nearly tripled, with 61 identified in 2015 and 168 in 2018. Whereas variation in the number of IPAC complaints and lapses among public health units was noted, the most common IPAC lapse involved inadequate reprocessing of reusable equipment. Key challenges in investigating IPAC complaints included lack of staff expertise/training, increased workload and costs, interjurisdictional inconsistencies and lack of guidance. Conclusion IPAC complaints and lapses have increased in Ontario since 2015 when the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care changed the IPAC complaint protocol. Public health units identified lack of expertise, increased workload, interjurisdictional inconsistencies and lack of guidance as challenges. Further research to confirm these findings, identify best practices to address these challenges as well as interventions to prevent IPAC lapses would be useful. Prospective surveillance of IPAC complaints, like for reportable diseases, would also be useful.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"28 1","pages":"289-295"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75334012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reaping the benefits of Open Data in public health.","authors":"P Huston,&nbsp;V L Edge,&nbsp;E Bernier","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a01","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Open Data is part of a broad global movement that is not only advancing science and scientific communication but also transforming modern society and how decisions are made. What began with a call for Open Science and the rise of online journals has extended to Open Data, based on the premise that if reports on data are open, then the generated or supporting data should be open as well. There have been a number of advances in Open Data over the last decade, spearheaded largely by governments. A real benefit of Open Data is not simply that single databases can be used more widely; it is that these data can also be leveraged, shared and combined with other data. Open Data facilitates scientific collaboration, enriches research and advances analytical capacity to inform decisions. In the human and environmental health realms, for example, the ability to access and combine diverse data can advance early signal detection, improve analysis and evaluation, inform program and policy development, increase capacity for public participation, enable transparency and improve accountability. However, challenges remain. Enormous resources are needed to make the technological shift to open and interoperable databases accessible with common protocols and terminology. Amongst data generators and users, this shift also involves a cultural change: from regarding databases as restricted intellectual property, to considering data as a common good. There is a need to address legal and ethical considerations in making this shift. Finally, along with efforts to modify infrastructure and address the cultural, legal and ethical issues, it is important to share the information equitably and effectively. While there is great potential of the open, timely, equitable and straightforward sharing of data, fully realizing the myriad of benefits of Open Data will depend on how effectively these challenges are addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"45 11","pages":"252-256"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6781855/pdf/CCDR-45-252.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41224681","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}

{"title":"Updates to the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System and its interactive website.","authors":"S Totten,&nbsp;A Medaglia,&nbsp;S McDermott","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a02","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (CNDSS) provides data on diseases that have been identified as priorities for public health monitoring and control. Several advances that have been made on Notifiable Diseases Online, the CNDSS interactive website, are consistent with the Government of Canada's commitment to Open Data. This article provides an update on changes in case definitions that have been made since the case definitions were last published in 2009, and describes updates that have been made to the interactive website since 2013. Changes were made to the case definitions of five diseases. For hepatitis C, the new case definition now distinguishes between acute and chronic infection. For cyclosporiasis, the probable case definition requires an epidemiologic link, with the clarification that this would likely be due to exposure to a common food source. For rabies, the probable case definition now refers to detection of rabies-neutralizing antibody instead of specific antibody titres. For Lyme disease, the revised confirmed and probable case definitions now identify five options for Lyme disease risk areas instead of endemic areas. For tuberculosis the revised case definition now includes nucleic acid amplification testing in addition to culture for diagnosis. The Notifiable Diseases Online website is an interactive tool that enables users to create customized figures and tables. Since a major redesign in 2013, numerous changes have been made to the look and feel of the site. Figures and tables can now be extracted as Excel or PDF files and large datasets are exportable into Excel files for further analysis. Case definitions in the national surveillance system will be updated as needed and its interactive website will continue to be improved and updated in response to user comments.</p>","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"45 10","pages":"4257-4261"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6781854/pdf/CCDR-45-257.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41224677","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}

{"title":"Community outbreak of hepatitis A disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men in Toronto, Canada, January 2017-November 2018.","authors":"H. Sachdeva, M. Benusic, S. Ota, R. Stuart, J. Maclachlan, V. Dubey, A. Andonov","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i10a03","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000In late 2016 and early 2017, a number of countries began reporting hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreaks involving person-to-person transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM), people using illicit drugs and homeless or underhoused persons.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To describe the epidemiology and public health response to an outbreak of HAV disproportionately affecting MSM in Toronto, Canada from January 2017 to November 2018.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000Following an increase in the number of cases of HAV in MSM being reported in other countries, enhanced surveillance was performed for all non-travel-related cases of HAV reported from June 1, 2017 to November 1, 2018, including a retrospective analysis of cases reported from January 2017 to June 2017. Descriptive analysis and viral sequencing were performed to describe person-to-person transmission patterns and target interventions. Control strategies included interventions to promote the uptake of preexposure HAV vaccination, including social media campaigns geared to MSM, messaging to healthcare providers and vaccine clinics.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Based on the outbreak case definitions, 52 confirmed and probable cases of HAV were identified. Over 80% of outbreak cases were male (n=43/52) and, among those for whom data were available, 64% (n=25/39) reported an MSM exposure. Data on hospitalization was available for 51 cases; 56% of confirmed cases (n=23/41) and 40% of probable cases (n=4/10) required hospitalization. Of the cases with serum samples that had HAV sequencing, 83% (n=30/36) had one of the three strains seen circulating in outbreaks among MSM internationally; 72% (n=26/36) were VRD_521_2016, which had been detected in recently reported European outbreaks among MSM. Targeted promotion of publicly-funded vaccination using social media platforms popular with MSM and targeted vaccine clinics were developed to promote HAV awareness and vaccine uptake among MSM.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000Outbreaks of HAV, attributed to person-to-person transmission of strains of HAV that disproportionately affected MSM and were likely to have been imported from international MSM outbreaks, have now occurred in Canada. Genetic sequencing of HAV, risk factor analysis of cases, monitoring trends of vaccine coverage in high-risk groups and initiation of vaccination campaigns that address barriers to HAV preexposure vaccine coverage in the MSM population may prevent future outbreaks.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"49 1","pages":"262-268"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81140183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surveillance of laboratory exposures to human pathogens and toxins: Canada 2018.","authors":"D. Choucrallah, L. Sarmiento, S. Ettles, F. Tanguay, M. Heisz, E. Falardeau","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a04","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000The Laboratory Incident Notification Canada (LINC) surveillance system monitors laboratory incidents reported under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act. The year 2018 marks the third complete year of data.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To describe the laboratory exposure and laboratory-acquired infection incidents that occurred in Canada in 2018 compared to previous years, and then by sector, human pathogens and toxins involved, number of affected persons, incident type and root causes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000Laboratory incidents that occurred in 2018 were reported through the LINC system. The number of laboratory incidents, people exposed and laboratory-acquired infections were compared to previous years, then the incidents were analyzed by sector, human pathogen or toxin involved, the type of incident, people exposed, route of exposure and root causes. Microsoft Excel 2016 was used for descriptive analysis.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000In 2018, there were 89 exposure incidents to human pathogens and 235 people were exposed. There were five suspected and one confirmed laboratory-acquired infections. This was approximately twice the number of exposure incidents that were reported in 2017 (n=44) and 2016 (n=46). The highest number of exposure incidents occurred in the academic and hospital sectors, and the ratio of incidence to licences was the lowest in the private sector. The majority of incidents (n=50; 56%) involved Risk Group 2 human pathogens that were manipulated in a Containment Level 2 laboratory. Most exposures were related to sharps or procedures and the most common people exposed were laboratory technicians. Human interaction and standard operating procedures were the leading root causes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000Although overall the annual incidence of laboratory exposures in Canada remains relatively low, the incidence was higher in 2018 than in previous years. Whether this is a true increase in incidence or an increase in reporting is not known at this time as baseline estimates are still being established.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"92 1","pages":"244-251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88990634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of a case-control study and control bank to investigate an outbreak of locally acquired cyclosporiasis in Canada, 2016.","authors":"V. Morton, K. Meghnath, M. Gheorghe, A. Fitzgerald-Husek, J. Hobbs, L. Honish, S. David","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a01","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000Cyclospora is an intestinal parasite that is not endemic in Canada. However, national outbreaks of locally acquired cases have been reported since 2013. These outbreaks were suspected to be associated with consumption of produce imported from countries where Cyclospora is endemic. Identification of the source can be challenging because of reporting delays and limited traceability of produce.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To report on a national outbreak of locally acquired cyclosporiasis, highlight the challenges of investigating these outbreaks and document the first time use of a control bank to recruit controls for a national outbreak case-control study in Canada.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000Cases of cyclosporiasis were identified through provincial laboratory testing and reported through provinces to the national level. Cases were interviewed about food exposures using a questionnaire and food exposures reported by cases were compared to Foodbook reference values. To narrow down the food items of interest, a matched case-control study was conducted. Controls for the study were recruited primarily from a control bank, that is, a list of individuals who had previously agreed to participate in public health-related surveys.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000In total, 87 cases of locally acquired cyclosporiasis with onset or report dates between May 19, 2016 and August 10, 2016 were reported by four provinces. Comparing case exposures to Foodbook reference values identified several food items of interest, including blackberries, other berries, herbs and leafy greens. The case-control study identified only blackberries and mesclun greens as significantly more frequently consumed by cases than controls. Due to lack of product details for blackberries and mesclun greens, the source of the outbreak was not conclusively identified.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000Blackberries were the primary food item of interest, but could not be identified as the conclusive source due to lack of traceability. The control bank was found to be a useful tool for control recruitment.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"13 1","pages":"225-229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82206796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in British Columbia, 2011-2017: Analysis to inform exclusion guidelines.","authors":"K. Noftall, K. Noftall, M. Taylor, L. Hoang, L. Hoang, E. Galanis, E. Galanis","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a03","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) can cause severe illness including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) through the production of Shiga toxins 1 (Stx1) and 2 (Stx2). E. coli O157:H7 was the most common serotype detected in the 1980s to 1990s, but improvements in laboratory methods have led to increased detection of non-O157 STEC. Non-O157 STEC producing only Stx1 tend to cause milder clinical illness. Exclusion guidelines restrict return to high-risk work or settings for STEC cases, but most do not differentiate between STEC serogroups and Stx type.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objective\u0000To analyze British Columbia (BC) laboratory and surveillance data to inform the BC STEC exclusion guideline.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000For all STEC cases reported in BC in 2011-2017, laboratory and epidemiological data were obtained through provincial laboratory and reportable disease electronic systems, respectively. Incidence was measured for all STEC combined as well as by serogroup. Associations were measured between serogroups, Stx types and clinical outcomes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Over the seven year period, 984 cases of STEC were reported. A decrease in O157 incidence was observed, while non-O157 rates increased. The O157 serogroup was significantly associated with Stx2. Significant associations were observed between Stx2 and bloody diarrhea, hospitalization and HUS.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000The epidemiology of STEC has changed in BC as laboratories increasingly distinguish between O157 and non-O157 cases and identify Stx type. It appears that non-O157 cases with Stx1 are less severe than O157 cases with Stx2. The BC STEC exclusion guidelines were updated as a result of this analysis.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"10 1","pages":"238-243"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72677830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular surveillance of hepatitis C virus genotypes identifies the emergence of a genotype 4d lineage among men in Quebec, 2001-2017.","authors":"DG Murphy, R. Dion, M. Simard, ML Vachon, Valérie Martel-Laferrière, B. Serhir, J. Longtin","doi":"10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v45i09a02","url":null,"abstract":"Background\u0000Molecular phylogenetics are generally used to confirm hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission events. In addition, the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec (LSPQ) has been using molecular phylogenetics for surveillance of HCV genotyping since November 2001.\u0000\u0000\u0000Objectives\u0000To describe the emergence of a specific lineage of HCV genotype 4d (G4d) and its characteristics using molecular phylogenetics as a surveillance tool for identifying HCV strain clustering.\u0000\u0000\u0000Methods\u0000The LSPQ prospectively applied Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to determine the HCV genotype on samples collected from November 2001 to December 2017. When a major G4d cluster was identified, demographic information, HIV-infection status and syphilis test results were analyzed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Results\u0000Phylogenetic analyses performed on approximately 22,000 cases identified 122 G4d cases. One major G4d cluster composed of 37 cases was singled out. Two cases were identified in 2010, 10 from 2011-2014 and 25 from 2015-2017. Cases in the cluster were concentrated in two urban health regions. Compared to the other G4d cases, cluster cases were all male (p<0.001) and more likely to be HIV-positive (adjusted risk ratio: 4.4; 95% confidence interval: 2.5-7.9). A positive syphilis test result was observed for 27 (73%) of the cluster cases. The sequences in this cluster and of four outlier cases were located on the same monophyletic lineage as G4d sequences reported in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Europe.\u0000\u0000\u0000Conclusion\u0000Molecular phylogenetics enabled the identification and surveillance of ongoing transmission of a specific HCV G4d lineage in HIV-positive and HIV-negative men in Quebec and its cross-continental spread. This information can orient intervention strategies to avoid transmission of HCV in MSM.","PeriodicalId":94304,"journal":{"name":"Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada","volume":"11 1","pages":"230-237"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74594171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}