Frozen vs Fresh Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Clinical Resolution of Diarrhea in Patients With Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major burden in health care and community settings. CDI recurrence is of particular concern because of limited treatment options and associated clinical and infection control issues. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising, but not readily available, intervention.

Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Among Immunocompromised Persons: Implications for Vaccination Programs.

Background: In 2012/2013, a single dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was recommended for immunocompromised adults in the United States and Canada. To assess the potential benefits of this recommendation, we assessed the serotype-specific burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) among immunocompromised individuals.

Methods: From 1995 to 2012, population-based surveillance for IPD was conducted in Metropolitan Toronto and Peel Region, Canada.

An elderly long-term care resident with crusted scabies.

Crusted scabies is a highly contagious form of scabies. Altered immune response, nutritional deficiencies and modified host response are all risk factors for crusted scabies. The authors report a case involving a patient found to have a chronic maculopapular, erythematous rash with large hyperkeratotic, white and grey plaques on the soles of both feet.

Fever in a visitor to Canada: a case of mistaken identity.

We report a case of babesiosis in a traveler from India who was diagnosed with malaria on the basis of blood smears. Pan-Plasmodium PCR was positive, though species-specific assays were negative. Reexamination of blood smears and Babesia-specific PCR confirmed babesiosis.

Previous antibiotic exposure and antimicrobial resistance in invasive pneumococcal disease: results from prospective surveillance.

Background: Estimating the risk of antibiotic resistance is important in selecting empiric antibiotics. We asked how the timing, number of courses, and duration of antibiotic therapy in the previous 3 months affected antibiotic resistance in isolates causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).

Methods: We conducted prospective surveillance for IPD in Toronto, Canada, from 2002 to 2011.

Cutaneous nocardiosis complicating management of Crohn's disease with infliximab and prednisone.

Infliximab is a chimeric anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha antibody that is efficacious in treating Crohn's disease. However, its immunomodulatory properties increase susceptibility to opportunistic infections. We present a case of cutaneous Nocardia infection in a patient who was taking infliximab for Crohn's disease.

West Nile virus infection in 2002: morbidity and mortality among patients admitted to hospital in southcentral Ontario.

Background: In August and September 2002 an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection occurred in southern Ontario. We encountered a number of seriously ill patients at our hospitals. In this article we document the clinical characteristics of these cases.