A5109981331- Respiratory viral infections research
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Hepatitis C virus research
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
- Parvovirus B19 Infection Studies
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
- HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
University of Calgary
2016-2025
Alberta Health Services
2010-2025
Calgary Laboratory Services
2010-2025
Public Health Laboratory
2025
Provincial Laboratory of Public Health
2015-2024
Foothills Medical Centre
2022
Saskatchewan Health
2021
University of Saskatchewan
2021
Saskatchewan Health Authority
2021
University of Alberta
2020-2021
Background Influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) is generally interpreted in the context of match/mismatch to circulating strains with evolutionary drift latter invoked explain reduced protection. During 2012–13 season, however, detailed genotypic and phenotypic characterization shows that low VE was instead related mutations egg-adapted H3N2 strain rather than antigenic viruses. Methods/Findings Component-specific against medically-attended, PCR-confirmed influenza estimated Canada by...
2][3][4] During pandemics, the burden of influenza illness increases substantially. 5Current vaccine policy focuses on immunizing those at high risk complications influenza. 6As a component broader to prevent spread and reduce its complications, using immunization interrupt communitywide transmission may be effective for protecting entire population, including risk. 7hildren adolescents appear play an important role in 8-102][13][14][15][16][17][18] Nonrandomized designs, unblinded studies,...
In three case-control studies and a household transmission cohort, Danuta Skowronski colleagues find an association between prior seasonal flu vaccination increased risk of 2009 pandemic H1N1 flu.
A woman who recently traveled to Thailand came a local emergency department with fever and papular rash. She was tested for measles, malaria, dengue. Positive finding IgM antibody against dengue failure seroconvert IgG multiple blood samples suggested an alternate flavivirus etiology. Amplification of conserved region the non-structural protein 5 gene genus Flavivirus yielded polymerase chain reaction product matching sequence 99% identity Zika virus. urine sample nasopharygeal swab specimen...
The antigenic distance hypothesis (ADH) predicts that negative interference from prior season's influenza vaccine (v1) on the current (v2) protection may occur when is small between v1 and v2 (v1 ≈ v2) but large epidemic (e) strain ≠ e). Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against medically attended, laboratory-confirmed A(H3N2) illness was estimated by test-negative design during 3 epidemics (2010–2011, 2012–2013, 2014–2015) in Canada. derived with covariate adjustment across and/or categories...
Background. We estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against both influenza A/subtypes and B/lineages in Canada for the 2011–2012 trivalent inactivated (TIV) with components entirely unchanged from 2010–2011 TIV context of phenotypic genotypic characterization circulating viruses. Methods. In a test-negative case-control study VE was estimated as [1-adjustedOddsRatio] × 100 RT-PCR-confirmed vaccinated vs nonvaccinated participants. Viruses were characterized by hemagglutination inhibition (HI)...
Background. During the 2010–2011 winter, a large number of outbreaks due to influenza A/H3N2 at long-term care facilities, including higher-than-expected attack rates among vaccinated staff, were reported in some regions Canada. Interim analysis from community-based sentinel surveillance system showed circulating H3N2 variants and suboptimal vaccine effectiveness (VE), assessed here for entire season's data set. Methods. Nasal/nasopharyngeal swabs epidemiologic details collected patients...
Coronavirus disease (COVID) serological tests are essential to determine the overall seroprevalence of a population and facilitate exposure estimates within that population. We performed head-to-head assessment enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) point-of-care lateral flow assays (POCTs) detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. Demographics, symptoms, comorbidities, treatment, mortality patients whose sera were used also reviewed. Six EIAs (Abbott, Affinity,...
To explore the potential modes of Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission, we collected 535 diverse clinical and environmental samples from 75 infected hospitalized community patients. Infectious SARS-CoV-2 with quantitative burdens varying 5 plaque-forming units/mL (PFU/mL) up to 1.0 × 10
Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) is reformulated annually to contain representative strains of 2 A subtypes (H1N1 and H3N2) 1 B lineage (Yamagata or Victoria). We describe a sentinel surveillance approach link variant detection with component-specific effectiveness (VE) estimation.The 2006-2007 TIV included A/NewCaledonia/20/1999(H1N1)-like, A/Wisconsin/67/2005(H3N2)-like, B/Malaysia/2506/2004(Victoria)-like components. Included participants were individuals >or=9 years age who...
Nucleic acid tests are sensitive and specific provide a rapid diagnosis, making them invaluable for patient outbreak management. Multiplex PCR assays have additional advantages in providing an economical comprehensive panel many common respiratory viruses. Previous reports shown the utility of xTAG viral (RVP) assay manufactured by Luminex Molecular Diagnostics this purpose. A newer generation kit, released Canada early 2010, is designed to simplify procedure reduce turnaround time about 24...
Reovirus is a nonattenuated double-stranded RNA virus that exploits aberrant signaling pathways allowing selective cytotoxicity against multiple cancer histologies. The use of reovirus as potential treatment modality for prostate has not previously been described, and in this study evidence vitro vivo activity was seen both preclinical models six patients. human carcinoma cell lines PC-3, LN-CaP, DU-145 exposed to replication-competent showed infection illustrated by viral protein synthesis,...
Swine outbreaks of pandemic influenza A (pH1N1) suggest human introduction the virus into herds. This study investigates a pH1N1 outbreak occurring on swine research farm with 37 humans and 1300 in Alberta, Canada, from 12 June through 4 July 2009.The staff was surveyed about symptoms, vaccinations, livestock exposures. Clinical findings were recorded, viral testing molecular characterization isolates performed. Human serological performance influenza-like illness (ILI) case definition also...
In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on infliximab, data are limited immune response to influenza vaccine and the impact of timing. The study aims were evaluate responses in IBD infliximab timing responses. this randomized study, 137 subjects maintenance therapy allocated receive 2012/2013 inactivated at time infusion (n = 69) or midway between infusions 68). Serum was collected before after vaccination for hemagglutination inhibition titers. Serologic protection defined by...
Background. Canada's Sentinel Physician Surveillance Network links genetic, antigenic, and vaccine effectiveness (VE) measures in an integrated platform of influenza monitoring, described here for the 2013–2014 season resurgent A(H1N1)pdm09 late-season type B activity. Methods. VE was estimated as [1 − odds ratio] × 100% compared vaccination status between individuals who tested positive (cases) those negative (controls) virus. Vaccine-virus relatedness assessed by genomic sequence analysis...
Abstract Background Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is completed through reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) from either oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swabs, critically important for diagnostics but also an infection control lens. Recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 patients can demonstrate prolonged viral shedding with immunosuppression as a key risk factor. Case presentation We present case immunocompromised patient SARS-CoV-2...
In high-income countries hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an uncommonly diagnosed porcine-derived zoonoses. After identifying disproportionate chronic HEV infections in persons with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) postlung transplant, we sought to understand its epidemiology and potential drivers.
Protection against vaccine-preventable diseases is important in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because of increased susceptibility and severity infection with immunosuppressive therapy. However, therapy may affect vaccine response. This study aimed to evaluate immunogenicity safety influenza vaccination children IBD.In this prospective cohort study, 60 IBD 53 healthy controls had serum collected for preimmunization hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers the 2008 inactivated...
Tracking novel influenza viruses which have the potential to cause pandemics, such as pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, is a public health priority. Pandemic virus was first identified in Mexico April and spread worldwide over short period of time. Well-validated diagnostic tools that are rapid, sensitive, specific for detection tracking this needed. Three real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays amplification were developed, their performance characteristics compared with those other...
Objectives. To estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) for the 2007–2008 season and assess sentinel surveillance system in Canada monitoring virus evolution impact on VE.
Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza B was derived separately for Victoria and Yamagata lineages across 8 seasons (2010–2011 to 2017–2018) in Canada when trivalent vaccine predominantly used. VE ≥50% regardless of lineage match circulating viruses, except the strain unchanged from prior season.
The recent emergence and rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) demonstrates the urgent need for laboratory-developed assays clinical diagnosis public health interventions in absence commercial assays.We outline progression reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that were developed validated at Alberta Precision Laboratories, Public Health Laboratory, Alberta, Canada, to respond this pandemic. Initially, testing was performed...