Publications by authors named "M Heisz"
Background: The Laboratory Incident Notification Canada surveillance system monitors laboratory incidents reported under the and the . The objective of this report is to describe laboratory exposures that were reported in Canada in 2020 and the individuals who were affected.
Methods: Laboratory incident exposures occurring in licensed Canadian laboratories in 2020 were analyzed.
Objectives: To compare a mathematical tool and time-dependent reproduction number (R) estimates to assess the COVID-19 pandemic progression in a Canadian context.
Methods: Total number of reported cases were plotted against total number of tests for COVID-19 performed over time, with and without smoothing, for Canada and some Canadian provinces individually. Changes in curvature profile were identified as either convex or concave as indicators of pandemic acceleration or deceleration, respectively.
Surveillance of laboratory exposures to human pathogens and toxins: Canada 2018.
Can Commun Dis Rep
September 2019
Background: The Laboratory Incident Notification Canada (LINC) surveillance system monitors laboratory incidents reported under the . The year 2018 marks the third complete year of data.
Objective: To describe the laboratory exposure and laboratory-acquired infection incidents that occurred in Canada in 2018 compared to previous years, and then by sector, human pathogens and toxins involved, number of affected persons, incident type and root causes.
Background: Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a technology increasingly used in diagnostic identification of microorganisms. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that this technology is associated with misidentification of Risk Group 3 (RG3)/Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) resulting in exposure risks to laboratory personnel.
Objective: To investigate and characterize incidents related to the use of MALDI-TOF MS in Canada between November 6, 2015, and October 10, 2017.
Surveillance of laboratory exposures to human pathogens and toxins: Canada 2017.
Can Commun Dis Rep
November 2018
Background: Under Canada's and , the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is mandated with monitoring laboratory incident notifications through the Laboratory Incident Notification Canada (LINC) surveillance system. The year 2017 marks the second complete year of data.
Objective: To describe the laboratory exposure and laboratory-acquired infection incidents that occurred in Canada in 2017 by sector, human pathogens and toxins involved, number of affected persons, incident type and root causes.