Real-world evidence of sotrovimab effectiveness for preventing severe outcomes in patients with COVID-19: A quality improvement propensity-matched retrospective cohort study of a pan-provincial program in Alberta, Canada.

Objectives: Post-marketing surveillance of sotrovimab's effect during implementation in the Canadian population is limited.

Methods: The study used a propensity score-matched retrospective cohort design. Follow-up began between the periods of December 15, 2021 and April 30 2022.

Case Series of Jamestown Canyon Virus Infections with Neurologic Outcomes, Canada, 2011-2016.

Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is a mosquitoborne orthobunyavirus in the California serogroup that circulates throughout Canada and the United States. Most JCV exposures result in asymptomatic infection or a mild febrile illness, but JCV can also cause neurologic diseases, such as meningitis and encephalitis. We describe a case series of confirmed JCV-mediated neuroinvasive disease among persons from the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, Canada, during 2011-2016.

Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in vasculitis patients.

Objective: To identify the factors that impact COVID-19 vaccine decision-making in vaccine-hesitant vasculitis patients, and compare their perceptions with other rheumatology patients, given existence of data suggesting rheumatology patients may have disease-specific factors that influence their COVID-19 vaccine decision-making.

Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed adult rheumatology patients from the Kaye Edmonton Clinic Rheumatology Clinic, in Canada, between June and August 2021, using an anonymous online questionnaire. Survey responses were analyzed for statistical differences using chi-square analysis.

Effectiveness of face masks for reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a rapid systematic review.

This rapid systematic review of evidence asks whether (i) wearing a face mask, (ii) one type of mask over another and (iii) mandatory mask policies can reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, either in community-based or healthcare settings. A search of studies published 1 January 2020-27 January 2023 yielded 5185 unique records. Due to a paucity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies were included in the analysis.

Rapid antigen-based and rapid molecular tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2: a rapid review with network meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies.

Background: The global spread of COVID-19 created an explosion in rapid tests with results in < 1 hour, but their relative performance characteristics are not fully understood yet. Our aim was to determine the most sensitive and specific rapid test for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Design: Rapid review and diagnostic test accuracy network meta-analysis (DTA-NMA).

COVID-19 Vaccination Perceptions in Patients With Rheumatic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

Objective: To identify the factors that affect coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine decision making among individuals diagnosed with a rheumatologic condition, given that previous international studies have demonstrated that a significant proportion of patients with rheumatic disease (RD) are vaccine hesitant.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved an online survey with adult patients with RD from the Kaye Edmonton Clinic Rheumatology Clinic between June and August 2021. Quantitative results were descriptively analyzed, whereas qualitative thematic analysis was conducted for open-ended responses.

Histoplasmosis acquired in Alberta, Canada: an epidemiological and genomic study.

Background: The classic geographical range of histoplasmosis in North America primarily includes the states and provinces adjacent to the Ohio, Mississippi, and St Lawrence riverways. Although Alberta, Canada is not typically considered a region of risk for histoplasmosis, cases with suspected local acquisition have been reported. We aimed to investigate the epidemiology and geographical distribution of cases of histoplasmosis in Alberta to assess evidence for local acquisition of infections, using genomic analysis for corroboration.

The impact of shifting demographics, variants of concern and vaccination on outcomes during the first 3 COVID-19 waves in Alberta and Ontario: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: In Canada, published outcome data for COVID-19 come largely from the first 2 waves of the pandemic. We examined changes in demographics and 30-day outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first 3 pandemic waves in Alberta and Ontario; for wave 3, we compared outcomes between those infected with a variant of concern and those infected with the original "wild-type" SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked health care data sets in Alberta and Ontario.

Rotating opportunistic prevalence audit: A new pragmatic audit method is effective at identifying misuse of ciprofloxacin in a large academic hospital.

The rotating opportunistic prevalence audit (ROPA) methodology is described with ciprofloxacin prescriptions in adults hospitalized at a tertiary-care center. Prescription appropriateness was assessed. ROPA captured 82% of all ciprofloxacin prescriptions; 69% were inappropriate.

Apples to Apples? A Comparison of Real-World Tolerability of Antiretrovirals in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

We previously characterized a human betaretrovirus and linked infection with the development of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). There are in vitro and in vivo data demonstrating that antiretroviral therapy used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be repurposed to treat betaretroviruses. As such, PBC patients have been treated with nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), alone and in combination with a boosted protease inhibitor or an integrase strand transfer inhibitor in case studies and clinical trials.

Integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use: Evaluation of the status in Canada (2014-2019).

Objective: Integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU) across One Health sectors is critically important for effective, evidence-based policy, stewardship, and control of AMR. Our objective was to evaluate progress towards achieving comprehensive, integrated AMR/AMU surveillance in Canada.

Materials And Methods: Based on an environmental scan, interviews of subject matter experts, and reports from the 2014 National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases and the 2016 Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers, we identified 8 core surveillance requirements and their specific components; the latter were assessed using a 2-way classification matrix, with 7 common elements ranked according to development stage.

Integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use: Evaluation of the status in Canada (2014-2019).

Objective: Integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU) across One Health sectors is critically important for effective, evidence-based policy, stewardship, and control of AMR. Our objective was to evaluate progress towards achieving comprehensive, integrated AMR/AMU surveillance in Canada.

Materials And Methods: Based on an environmental scan, interviews of subject matter experts, and reports from the 2014 National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases and the 2016 Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers, we identified 8 core surveillance requirements and their specific components; the latter were assessed using a 2-way classification matrix, with 7 common elements ranked according to development stage.

In uninfected household contacts of patients with COVID-19, REGEN-COV reduced symptomatic COVID-19 at 28 d.

O'Brien MP, Forleo-Neto E, Musser BJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2021;385:1184-95.

A Multi-Factorial Observational Study on Sequential Fecal Microbiota Transplant in Patients with Medically Refractory Infection.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is highly effective in recurrent infection (CDI); increasing evidence supports FMT in severe or fulminant infection (SFCDI). However, the multifactorial mechanisms that underpin the efficacy of FMT are not fully understood. Systems biology approaches using high-throughput technologies may help with mechanistic dissection of host-microbial interactions.

Treatment of moderate to severe respiratory COVID-19: a cost-utility analysis.

Despite COVID-19's significant morbidity and mortality, considering cost-effectiveness of pharmacologic treatment strategies for hospitalized patients remains critical to support healthcare resource decisions within budgetary constraints. As such, we calculated the cost-effectiveness of using remdesivir and dexamethasone for moderate to severe COVID-19 respiratory infections using the United States health care system as a representative model. A decision analytic model modelled a base case scenario of a 60-year-old patient admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

One Health Evaluation of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Surveillance: A Novel Tool for Evaluating Integrated, One Health Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Surveillance Programs.

We describe the development, application and utility of our novel, One Health Evaluation of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Surveillance (OHE-AMURS) tool that we created to evaluate progress toward integrated, One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU) as a complex system in Canada. We conducted a qualitative inquiry into the current state of policy and programs for integrated AMR/AMU surveillance using explicit and tacit knowledge. To assess the "messy" state of public health surveillance program development, we synthesized recommendations from previous reports by the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases and the Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers; conducted an environmental scan to find all federal, provincial, and territorial AMR/AMU surveillance programs in Canada; and conducted semi-structured interviews with Canadian subject matter experts.

COVID-19 screening of asymptomatic patients admitted through emergency departments in Alberta: a prospective quality-improvement study.

Background: The prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among asymptomatic patients admitted to hospital has implications for personal protective equipment use, testing strategy and confidence in the safety of acute care services. Our aim was to estimate the positivity rate of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing among people admitted to hospital without symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Alberta, Canada.

Methods: Between Apr.

Free-living amoebae and other neglected protistan pathogens: Health emergency signals?

Protistan parasites have an undisputed global health impact. However, outside of a few key exceptions, e.g.