Publications by authors named "Richard Rusk"

Article Synopsis
  • Lyme disease (LD) surveillance in Manitoba faces challenges, including underreporting, which affects the understanding of disease trends and distribution.
  • A retrospective analysis from 2009 to 2018 identified 1,658 clinician-diagnosed LD cases from over 1.6 million registrants, with the majority occurring during peak tick activity (May to July).
  • Annualized findings revealed a mean incidence of 10.17 cases per 100,000 people, significantly higher than the 30 cases reported by the Manitoba Health surveillance system, highlighting the extent of underreporting.
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Objectives: We aimed to evaluate a quality improvement initiative designed to control SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) using the large-scale deployment of antimicrobial photodisinfection therapy (aPDT) for nasal decolonization in a Canadian industrial workplace (a food processing plant).

Study Design: Using a retrospective chart review of treatment questionnaires, linked to COVID laboratory testing results, a quality improvement assessment was analyzed to determine treatment effectiveness and safety.

Methods: This voluntary aPDT intervention involved the administration of a light-sensitive liquid to the nose followed by nonthermal red-light irradiation on a weekly basis.

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Background: After routine mumps immunization programs were implemented in Manitoba in the 1980s, incidence was low, with 0-9 cases of disease annually. In September 2016, a mumps outbreak began in fully vaccinated university students in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Objective: We describe the investigation of this province-wide mumps outbreak, which lasted between September 2016 and December 2018.

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A One Health approach was developed in the province of Manitoba in 2014 to manage human and domestic animal exposures to rabies. Manitoba Rabies Central is a collaboration of 3 provincial departments responsible for animal, human, and environmental health. Since the inception of the program 537 samples from animals suspected of rabies and causing an exposure to a human or domestic animal have been evaluated with 11.

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Lyme disease, the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in North America, is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, which is transmitted by Ixodes scapularis in eastern Canada and Ixodes pacificus in western Canada. Recently, the northward range expansion of I. scapularis ticks, in south-eastern Canada, has resulted in a dramatic increase in the incidence of human Lyme disease.

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