Economic Burden of West Nile Virus Disease, Quebec, Canada, 2012-2013.

The economic burden of West Nile virus (WNV) infection is not known for Canada. We sought to describe the direct and indirect costs of WNV infection in the province of Quebec, Canada, up to 2 years after onset of signs and symptoms. We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included WNV cases reported during 2012 and 2013.

Diabetes and the severity of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Objective: To confirm the existence of an increased risk of complications from influenza A (H1N1)p among patients with diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Using data from an enhanced influenza surveillance project in Montreal, Canada, and age/sex-specific population estimates of diabetes prevalence, we estimated the risk of hospitalization among persons with diabetes. Comparing hospitalized patients admitted or not to an intensive care unit (ICU), we estimated the risk of ICU admission associated with diabetes, controlling for other patient characteristics.

Tuberculosis and the city.

Unrecognized tuberculosis transmission outside the household has led to "micro-epidemics". We sought to evaluate how frequently locations outside the household were addressed in tuberculosis contact investigations, and to identify associated patient factors. We reviewed all tuberculosis patients reported in Montreal, Canada, during 1996-2004.

Sensitivities and specificities of spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat typing methods for studying molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis.

The development of PCR-based genotyping modalities (spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat [MIRU-VNTR] typing) offers promise for real-time molecular epidemiological studies of tuberculosis (TB). However, the utility of these methods depends on their capacity to appropriately classify isolates. To determine the operating parameters of spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing, we have compared results generated by these newer tests to the standard typing method, IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism, in analyses restricted to high-copy-number IS6110 isolates.