Improving public health policy through infection transmission modelling: Guidelines for creating a Community of Practice.

Background: Despite significant research efforts in Canada, real application of modelling in public health decision making and practice has not yet met its full potential. There is still room to better address the diversity of the Canadian population and ensure that research outcomes are translated for use within their relevant contexts.

Objectives: To strengthen connections to public health practice and to broaden its scope, the Pandemic Influenza Outbreak Research Modelling team partnered with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases to hold a national workshop.

Effectiveness of the pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccines against laboratory-confirmed H1N1 infections: population-based case-control study.

Background: Excellent immune responses following 1 or 2 doses of the monovalent inactivated pandemic H1N1 vaccines have been documented, but the effectiveness of these vaccines against laboratory-confirmed H1N1 infections in the general population is not clear. We evaluated the effectiveness of the pandemic H1N1 and seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines (TIV) used during the 2009 mass vaccination campaign in Manitoba (Canada) in preventing laboratory-confirmed H1N1 infections.

Methods: A population-based case-control study using data from Cadham Provincial Laboratory (CPL) and the Manitoba Immunization Monitoring System (MIMS).

Correlates of severe disease in patients with 2009 pandemic influenza (H1N1) virus infection.

Background: In the context of 2009 pandemic influenza (H1N1) virus infection (pandemic H1N1 influenza), identifying correlates of the severity of disease is critical to guiding the implementation of antiviral strategies, prioritization of vaccination efforts and planning of health infrastructure. The objective of this study was to identify factors correlated with severity of disease in confirmed cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza.

Methods: This cumulative case-control study included all laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza among residents of the province of Manitoba, Canada, for whom the final location of treatment was known.