A5019224779- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Data-Driven Disease Surveillance
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Mycobacterium research and diagnosis
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety
- Food Safety and Hygiene
- Occupational Health and Safety Research
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
Public Health Ontario
2016-2025
Queen's University
2015-2025
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2024
University of Toronto
2001-2022
University of Oxford
2022
Barrie Urology Group
2015-2019
Toronto Metropolitan University
2019
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
2019
Public Health Agency of Canada
2019
Western University
2019
Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceutical and personal care products, are receiving considerable attention owing to their potential negatively impact the environment pose risks human health. The widespread use of antibiotics fate transport in further with respect public health development antibiotic resistant organisms (AROs). While occurrence AROs is important, there increasing interest resistance genes (ARGs). An urgent need exists improve our understanding mechanisms associated...
Temporal studies of groundwater potability have historically focused on E. coli detection rates, with non-E. coliforms (NEC) and microbial concentrations remaining understudied by comparison. Additionally, "big data" (i.e., large, diverse datasets that grow over time) yet to be employed for assessing the effects high return-period extreme weather events quality. The current investigation ≈1.1 million Ontarian private well samples collected between 2010 2021, seeking address these knowledge...
We evaluated the Prodesse ProFlu-1 real-time reverse transcription-PCR multiplex assay with SmartCycler instrument for detection of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A B viruses in comparison to conventional cell culture antigen immunoassays BD Directigen A+B Binax NOW RSV assays over two successive seasons. Ninety-two percent 361 specimens tested were nasopharyngeal aspirates obtained from individual patients, which 119 positive 59 virus. The median age patients whose...
In an investigation of a listeriosis outbreak in Ontario, Canada, during November 2015-June 2016, pasteurized chocolate milk was identified as the source. Because outbreaks associated with are rare North America, these findings highlight that dairy products can be contaminated after pasteurization.
Abstract Background Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered hotspots for the environmental dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants. Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) candidates gauging degree AMR bacteria in wastewater. faecalis and faecium recognized indicators fecal contamination water. Comparative genomics enterococci isolated from conventional activated sludge (CAS) biological aerated filter (BAF) WWTPs was conducted. Results VRE isolates, including...
Abstract A global monkeypox outbreak began in May 2022. Limited data exist on specimen type performance associated molecular diagnostics. Consequently, a diverse range of sources were collected the initial weeks Ontario, Canada. Our clinical evaluation identified skin lesions as optimal diagnostic source.
In 2014 and 2015, three Canadian Salmonella serotype Enteritidis outbreak investigations implicated uncooked, frozen, processed chicken products produced at the same establishment, namely establishment A. November 2014, a sustained increase in number of reported domestically acquired cases Ontario led to first investigation, which June identification pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns that had not been previously Canada national investigation. Of 51 nationally, 35 were from Ontario....
ABSTRACT The MRSA-Screen (Denka-Seiken, Tokyo, Japan) latex agglutination test was evaluated for its ability to detect PBP 2a from 200 clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; 84 mecA -positive strains and 116 -negative strains) consisting 108 Staphylococcus epidermidis , 37 S. saprophyticus 15 haemolyticus 11 hominis 10 capitis warneri 3 lugdunensis species as well 6 other CoNS. assay compared with susceptibility testing an agar screen plate oxacillin at μg/ml (OXA6), by...
Big data have become increasingly important for policymakers and scientists but yet to be employed the development of spatially specific groundwater contamination indices or protecting human environmental health. The current study sought develop a series via analyses three variables: Non-E. coli coliform (NEC) concentration, E. calculated NEC:E. concentration ratio. A large microbial water quality dataset comprising 1,104,094 samples collected from 292,638 Ontarian wells between 2010 2021...
There is an evidence gap regarding the duration of SARS-CoV-2 shedding and its variability across different care settings by age, sex, income, co-morbidities. Such part understanding infectivity reinfection. We examine direct measures viral using a linked population-based health administrative dataset.Laboratory sociodemographic databases for Ontario, Canada were to identify those testing positive (RT-PCR) between Jan. 15 April 30, 2020 who underwent subsequent May 31, 2020. To maximise use...
Private water supplies, which are the primary source of drinking for rural communities in developed countries, at risk becoming fecally contaminated. It is important to identify contamination order better understand and address this human health risk. Microbial tracking methods using human, bovine general Bacteroidales markers were performed on 716 well samples from southeastern Ontario, had previously tested positive Escherichia coli. The results then geospatially analyzed elucidate...
The province of Ontario compromises the largest groundwater reliant population in Canada serving approximately 1.6 million individuals. Unlike municipal water systems, private well is not required to meet quality regulatory standards and thus source maintenance, treatment testing remains responsibility owner. Infections associated with drinking systems are rarely documented given their typically sporadic nature, human health effects (e.g., acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI)) on consumers...
Research to date has provided limited insight into the complexity of water-borne pathogen transmission. Private well water supplies have been identified as a significant pathway in infectious disease transmission both industrialised and developing world. Using over 90,000 private submission records representing approximately 30,000 unique locations south-eastern Ontario, Canada, spatial analysis was performed order delineate clusters with elevated risk E. coli contamination using 5 years...
BACKGROUND: Seasonal outbreaks of winter respiratory viruses are responsible for increases in morbidity and mortality the community. Previous studies have used hospitalizations, intensive care unit emergency department (ED) visits as indicators seasonal influenza incidence. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether ED can be a proxy to detect viral disease outbreaks, measured by laboratory confirmation. METHODS: An Emergency Department Syndromic Surveillance system was collect chief complaints Eastern...
Privately owned wells are vulnerable to contamination and as such pose a significant public health threat those who rely on them for domestic water use. While myriad of studies have sought individually examine well quality or the stewardship behaviours among owners users, few effectively explored intersection between private groundwater human behaviour. Even hydrosociology, socio-hydrology, socio-hydrogeology, which make cases an integrated, transdisciplinary approach water-related...