Identification of Enteric Viruses in Oral Swabs from Children with Acute Gastroenteritis.

Stool is the diagnostic specimen of choice to identify enteropathogens in pediatric gastroenteritis. However, stool collection is challenging and its diagnostic characteristics in patients with isolated vomiting are unknown. Therefore, we evaluated if oral swabs are a suitable alternative specimen to stools.

Surveillance and molecular characterization of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in a hospital water distribution system over a three-year period.

A three-year surveillance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in a hospital water distribution system was conducted at a facility located in southern Alberta. NTM was not present in any intake water samples, but was found in 106/183 (58%) of endpoint samples across 15 sites over the study period. Two different species of NTM were identified, Mycobacterium gordonae (88/183) and Mycobacterium avium (34/183); with only one strain of each M.

Antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in public beach waters in Quebec.

Introduction: Human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria may result in the transfer of resistance to commensal or pathogenic microbes present in the gastrointestinal tract, which may lead to severe health consequences and difficulties in treatment of future bacterial infections. It was hypothesized that the recreational waters from beaches represent a source of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli for people engaging in water activities.

Objective: To describe the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant E coli in the recreational waters of beaches in southern Quebec.

Contamination of Canadian private drinking water sources with antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli.

Background: Surface and ground water across the world, including North America, is contaminated with bacteria resistant to antibiotics. The consumption of water contaminated with antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) has been associated with the carriage of resistant E.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in food samples associated with foodborne illness in Alberta, Canada from 2007 to 2010.

Consumption of foods containing Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe gastro-intestinal illness. Given the fact that over the past decade, Canada has seen increasing rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) carriage and infection, the objective of this study was to investigate the impact of methicillin-susceptible S.