Publications by authors named "Myriam Lavoie"
Article Synopsis
- Serological assays for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are crucial for surveys and need thorough evaluations to ensure quality and accuracy in testing.
- The study involved distributing plasma/serum samples from confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections to various laboratories in Canada and the U.S. to assess their performance while keeping the results blinded.
- Results showed that most high-throughput assays had excellent sensitivity, with Roche, Ortho, and Siemens achieving 100%, and overall, the serological tests used in public health settings displayed acceptable sensitivity and excellent specificity.
SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, infecting millions of people and causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. The Spike glycoproteins of SARS-CoV-2 mediate viral entry and are the main targets for neutralizing antibodies. Understanding the antibody response directed against SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for the development of vaccine, therapeutic, and public health interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe SARS-CoV-2 virus is responsible for the current worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, infecting millions of people and causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. The Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 mediates viral entry and is the main target for neutralizing antibodies. Understanding the antibody response directed against SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for the development of vaccine, therapeutic and public health interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are very few studies investigating the work nurses do in prisons. Based on data stemming from a research in Psychodynamics of Work and a literature review, this paper describes nursing practices in a Canadian penitentiary institution. Three male nurses and two female nurses participated in three two-hour long focus group sessions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn a post hoc analysis of samples collected in 2009, we determined seroprevalence of parvovirus 4 (PARV4) among elderly Cameroonians. PARV4 seropositivity was associated with receipt of intravenous antimalarial drugs, intramuscular streptomycin, or an intramuscular contraceptive, but not hepatitis C virus seropositivity. Findings suggest parenteral acquisition of some PARV4 infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeterosexual transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is uncommon, with few studies undertaken in Central Africa. To determine the frequency of inter-spouse HCV transmission, cross-sectional studies of elderly individuals in Ebolowa, Cameroon and Nola, Central African Republic, in which, respectively, 24 and 83 long-term couples had been identified, were examined further. Blood samples were tested for antibody to HCV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In southern Cameroon, where SIV(cpz), the source of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) group M, is prevalent among wild chimpanzees, approximately 50% of some human birth cohorts have been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) through unclear mechanisms.
Methods: To evaluate indirectly the hypothesis that medical interventions contributed to the early emergence of HIV-1, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 451 inhabitants of Ebolowa in southern Cameroon aged 60 years, using HCV as a marker of parenteral transmission of blood-borne viruses. We administered a questionnaire and tested serum for antibodies against HCV.