The adoption and compliance to central line-associated bloodstream infection insertion and maintenance bundle programs in intensive care unit settings across Canada.

Evidence-based insertion and maintenance bundles are effective in reducing the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. We studied the adoption and compliance of CLABSI prevention bundle programs and CLABSI rates in ICUs in a large network of acute care hospitals across Canada.

Analysis of invasive group A streptococcal puerperal sepsis in Calgary, Alberta: clinical consequences and policy implications.

We analyzed invasive group A streptococcal puerperal sepsis cases in a large health zone in Alberta, Canada between 2013 and 2022. Of the 21 cases, 85.7% were adjudicated as hospital/delivery-acquired, with 2 clusters having identical isolates found through whole genome sequencing.

Congenital SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Two Neonates with Confirmation by Viral Culture of the Placenta in One Case.

Congenital infections with SARS-CoV-2 are uncommon. We describe two confirmed congenital SARS-CoV-2 infections using descriptive, epidemiologic and standard laboratory methods and in one case, viral culture. Clinical data were obtained from health records.

Medical Masks Versus N95 Respirators for Preventing COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers : A Randomized Trial.

Background: It is uncertain if medical masks offer similar protection against COVID-19 compared with N95 respirators.

Objective: To determine whether medical masks are noninferior to N95 respirators to prevent COVID-19 in health care workers providing routine care.

Design: Multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial.

Risk of transmission of respiratory viruses during aerosol-generating medical procedures (AGMPs) revisited in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.

Background: In many jurisdictions healthcare workers (HCWs) are using respirators for aerosol-generating medical procedures (AGMPs) performed on adult and pediatric populations with all suspect/confirmed viral respiratory infections (VRIs). This systematic review assessed the risk of VRIs to HCWs in the presence of AGMPs, the role respirators versus medical/surgical masks have on reducing that risk, and if the risk to HCWs during AGMPs differed when caring for adult or pediatric patient populations.

Main Text: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Cochrane SR, CINAHL, COVID-19 specific resources, and MedRxiv for English and French articles from database inception to September 9, 2021.

Supplementation with a probiotic mixture accelerates gut microbiome maturation and reduces intestinal inflammation in extremely preterm infants.

Probiotics are increasingly administered to premature infants to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis and neonatal sepsis. However, their effects on gut microbiome assembly and immunity are poorly understood. Using a randomized intervention trial in extremely premature infants, we tested the effects of a probiotic product containing four strains of Bifidobacterium species autochthonous to the infant gut and one Lacticaseibacillus strain on the compositional and functional trajectory of microbiome.

Antimicrobial use in Canadian acute-care hospitals: Findings from three national point-prevalence surveys between 2002 and 2017.

Objectives: The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program conducted point-prevalence surveys in acute-care hospitals in 2002, 2009, and 2017 to identify trends in antimicrobial use.

Methods: Eligible inpatients were identified from a 24-hour period in February of each survey year. Patients were eligible (1) if they were admitted for ≥48 hours or (2) if they had been admitted to the hospital within a month.

Asymmetric eye size in an infant.

Toxoplasmosis is an uncommon congenital infection in Canada, but one with potentially severe clinical manifestations, including fetal death. Neurologic and ocular manifestations are frequent in untreated disease; however, small eye size (microphthalmia) is a rare finding. This finding may be a marker of severe ocular disease.

Trends in health care-associated infections in acute care hospitals in Canada: an analysis of repeated point-prevalence surveys.

Background: Health care-associated infections are a common cause of patient morbidity and mortality. We sought to describe the trends in these infections in acute care hospitals, using data from 3 national point-prevalence surveys.

Methods: The Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) conducted descriptive point-prevalence surveys to assess the burden of health care-associated infections on a single day in February of 2002, 2009 and 2017.

Survey of Infection Control Precautions for Patients with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency.

Severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) is caused by an array of genetic disorders resulting in a diminished adaptive immune system due to impaired T lymphocytes. In these patients, active infection at the time of hematopoietic transplantation has been shown to increase morbidity and mortality. To prevent transmission of infections in SCID patients, standardized infection control precautions should be implemented.

Development of a competency-based medical education curriculum for antimicrobial stewardship.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AS) programs are becoming a critical part of infectious diseases (ID) and medical microbiology training programs. As post-graduate medical education shifts toward competency-based medical education (CBME), the curriculum for AS training requires a similar transition. Our objective was to develop an educational curriculum combining principles of AS and CBME and apply a prospective audit and feedback (PAF) as an educational strategy.

Stroke in Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis: Population-Based Epidemiology.

Background: Bacterial meningitis is a severe infection of the nervous system with a high complication rate including stroke. The purpose of this study is to assess the incidence, risk factors, patterns, and outcomes in pediatric meningitis complicated by stroke.

Methods: The study design was a population-based, 10-year retrospective (2002 to 2012) cohort study set in Southern Alberta, Canada.

Sickness presenteeism: The prevalence of coming to work while ill among paediatric resident physicians in Canada.

Background: Sickness presenteeism is defined as the act of attending one's job despite ill-health. Recently, physicians and other health care workers have become the focus of sickness presenteeism research, because presenteeism in this population can put patients at risk of infection. There are currently no data on this topic among physicians in Canada.

Sickness presenteeism in clinical clerks: Negatively reinforced behavior or an issue of patient safety?

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate sickness presenteeism in medical students and to understand the factors that may promote this behavior.

Methods: All 178 final year medical students (clinical clerks) at the University of Calgary, Class of 2014 were invited to complete an online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey. After completing each mandatory rotation, students were sent a link to the online survey.

Antimicrobial use over a four-year period using days of therapy measurement at a Canadian pediatric acute care hospital.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a concern that is challenging the ability to treat common infections. Surveillance of antimicrobial use in pediatric acute care institutions is complicated because the common metric unit, the defined daily dose, is problematic for this population.

Objective: During a four-year period in which no specific antimicrobial stewardship initiatives were conducted, pediatric antimicrobial use was quantified using days of therapy (DOT) per 100 patient days (PD) (DOT/100 PD) at the Alberta Children's Hospital (Calgary, Alberta) for benchmarking purposes.

Leishmania in HLH: a rare finding with significant treatment implications.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a very rare phenomenon. We report the first known North American case in a 21 month old boy. He was initially diagnosed with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) triggered HLH and treated with the international treatment protocol, HLH-2004.

Skin and soft tissue infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): an affliction of the underclass.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients presenting to The Ottawa Hospital emergency departments (TOHEDs) differed from SSTIs caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) with regard to risk factors, management, and outcomes.

Methods: All patients seen at TOHEDs in 2006 and 2007 with SSTIs who yielded MRSA or MSSA in cultures from the site of infection were eligible for inclusion. We excluded patients with decubitus ulcers and infections related to diabetes or peripheral vascular disease.