High rates of Staphylococcus aureus USA400 infection, Northern Canada.

Surveillance of Staphylococcus aureus infections in 3 northern remote communities of Saskatchewan was undertaken. Rates of methicillin-resistant infections were extremely high (146-482/10,000 population), and most (98.2%) were caused by USA400 strains.

Risk factors for and outcomes associated with clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins among patients admitted to Canadian hospitals.

Background: Clinical features associated with Gram-negative bacterial isolates with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC-mediated resistance identified in Canadian hospitals is largely unknown. The objective of the present study was to determine the demographics, risk factors and outcomes of patients with ESBL- or AmpC-mediated resistant organisms in Canadian hospitals.

Methods: Patients with clinical cultures of Escherichia coli or Klebsiella species were matched with patients with a similar organism but susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins.

Longitudinal phylogenetic surveillance identifies distinct patterns of cluster dynamics.

Objective: Through the application of simple, accessible, molecular epidemiology tools, we aimed to resolve the phylogenetic relationships that best predicted patterns of cluster growth using longitudinal population level drug resistance genotype data.

Methods: Analysis was performed on 971 specimens from drug naïve, first time HIV positive subjects collected in British Columbia between 2002 and 2005. A 1240bp fragment of the pol gene was amplified and sequenced with relationships among subtype B sequences inferred using Neighbour-Joining analysis.

A comparison of risk factors associated with community-associated methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infections in remote communities.

In this case-control study, cases [community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), n=79] and controls [community-associated methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (CA-MSSA), n=36] were defined as a laboratory-confirmed infection in a patient with no previous hospital-associated factors. Skin and soft tissue were the predominant sites of infection, both for cases (67.

A cross-sectional study of maternity care providers' and women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards influenza vaccination during pregnancy.

Background: Pregnant women are at increased risk of influenza-related complications, but research to examine barriers to maternal influenza vaccination has been limited and no studies have assessed the barriers to vaccinating pregnant women in Canada.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess (1) how the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of Canadian maternity care providers influence their discussion and recommendation patterns, and (2) how the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of Canadian women, along with care providers' recommendations, influence their acceptance of influenza vaccine during pregnancy.

Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys, one of maternity care providers and one of postpartum women, were carried out between December 1, 2003, and March 31, 2004.