Epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae diseases in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, 2010-2015.

Introduction: North American indigenous populations experience a high burden of invasive bacterial infections. Because Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae have multiple antigenic variants, the existing vaccines cannot prevent all cases. This study addresses the current epidemiology of invasive H.

Paediatric meningococcaemia in northwestern Ontario, Canada: a case for publicly funded meningococcal B vaccination.

Introduction: serogroup B is an important infectious agent in developed countries, including Canada. Infants are particularly susceptible to infection with serogroup B because of immature immune systems, pathogen virulence factors and changing serogroup dynamics in the post-vaccination era. Currently, the Ontario provincial government does not include serogroup B in its routine publicly funded meningococcal vaccination program.

Effect of Pre-Operative Use of Medications on the Risk of Surgical Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Median sternotomy, the most common means of accessing the heart for cardiac procedures, is associated with higher risk of surgical site infections (SSIs). A limited number of studies reporting the impact of medication use prior to cardiac surgery on the subsequent risk of SSIs usually focused on antibacterial prophylaxis. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of medications prescribed commonly to cardiac patients on the risk of incident SSIs.