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PHAC Advice on Infection Prevention and Control Measures for Ebola Virus Disease in Healthcare Settings
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has published a new document to provide background and advice on what the minimum level of infection control measures should be based on a review of available scientific evidence. You can read the full document on the PHAC website. PHSA’s Ebola resources are all available on the POD. ...
Type: Post
Genetically modified mosquito can resist malaria infection
US scientists say they have bred a genetically modified (GM) mosquito that can resist malaria infection. The scientists put a new “resistance” gene into the mosquito’s own DNA, using a gene editing method called Crispr. And when the GM mosquitoes mated – their offspring inherited the same resistance, PNAS journal reports. In theory, if these mosquitoes bite people, they should...
Type: Post
Bandage that signals infection
Researchers in the United Kingdom recently unveiled a prototype “intelligent” dressing that turns fluorescent green to signal the onset of an infection. The color-changing bandage contains a gel-like material infused with tiny capsules that release nontoxic fluorescent dye in response to contact with populations of bacteria that commonly cause wound infections. Led by Toby Jenkins, a professor of biophysical chemistry at the University of Bath, <mark...
Type: Post
Rats carry MRSA and C.difficile
With Vancouver and the Lower Mainland plagued with a scourge of rats, new research from UBC suggests there may be grave consequences if the rodents’ risk to human health continues to be underestimated. The UBC team studied the feces of rats caught at an Abbotsford poultry farm, and discovered that not only was every specimen carrying a strain of avian E.coli, more than a quarter...
Type: Post
Expanded Evidence for Frozen FMT for C. difficile Infection
A new study, published in the current edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), presents expanded evidence for frozen fecal microbiota transplantation for Clostridium difficile infection. You can access the article here, or through your library account....
Type: Post
Antibiotics: 5 Myths Debunked
An interesting article from Medscape, by Brad Spellberg, MD Myth 1: Humans invented antibiotics in the 20th century Myth 2: Inappropriate antibiotic use causes the development of resistance Myth 3: To prevent resistance, patients must complete every dose of antibiotics prescribed, even after they feel better Myth 4: When antibiotic resistance emerges, it is usually a consequence of new mutations at the site of infection...
Type: Post
Explanatory article on recent reporting on ‘serial’ flu shots causing higher flu risk
On November 5th, CTV ran a story about new research showing that ‘serial’ flu shots may lead to reduced immunity. Although the article and video both state that more research is needed, some social media posts (often due to their brevity) implied that the findings were more conclusive. If you receive questions from patients or staff, here is a good article that further explains the findings...
Type: Post
Season’s Greetings to our Community of Practice
PICNet would like to wish you all a happy holiday season, and thank you for your contributions to PICNet over the past year. Your input and hard work are appreciated by all of us. Wishing you a happy and relaxing holiday, and all the best for the new year! Bruce Gamage Linda Hoang Elizabeth Bryce Joanne Archer Guanghong Han Helen Evans Romi Ranasinghe...
Type: Post
Influenza A(H3N2) and RSV Activity Still High in BC
The BCCDC’s latest Influenza Surveillance Bulletin reports that flu activity remained high in BC during the second week of 2017 (January 8 to 14, 2017), suggesting that the epidemic peak has not yet been reached this season. A(H3N2) has been the dominant subtype so far this season, but respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity also remains elevated. Since the last bulletin one week ago, 30 <mark...
Type: Post
BCCDC Influenza Update: Sporadic Flu Detections in BC
Sporadic influenza activity has been detected in BC and elsewhere in Canada this summer, with some provinces reporting summer outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Influenza A(H3N2) had been the predominant subtype during this period. In the southern hemisphere where they are in the midst of their winter seasonal epidemic, influenza activity has increased or peaked in most countries in recent weeks. In Australia and <mark...
Type: Post
Ebola Temporary Post
This is a temporary post. This “What’s New” section is pulling all posts (except IPAC)....
Type: Post
Enterovirus D68 update from BCCDC
Please note: You can find the latest information on EV-D68 on the BC Centre for Disease Control website. BCCDC’s bulletin of September 16th commented on neurologic (paralytic) features associated with two of their initial laboratory-confirmed cases of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in British Columbia. Neurologic symptoms were not at that time considered a prominent feature of EV-D68, for which severe respiratory illness was instead emphasized in initial reports...
Type: Post
B.C. research uncovers links to asthma; Fecal samples taken from hundreds of infants reveal missing bugs
Vancouver-based researchers have identified four strains of bacteria that they believe babies need in their digestive tract to prevent asthma, opening up the possibility of a preventive treatment. The work published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine fleshes out recent studies pointing toward the importance of a wide variety of bacteria in the human gut – known collectively as microbiota – for goodhealth. It’s <mark...
Type: Post
PHSA Job Posting: IPAC Construction Specialist
The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) is recruiting for an Infection Protection and Control (IPAC) Construction Specialist. The position is Temporary Part-Time (0.50 FTE Until June 2019), and will be part of the BC Children & Women’s (C&W) Redevelopment Project. The IPAC Construction Specialist has an active role in the prevention, surveillance and control of infections during construction, renovation and maintenance at the...
Type: Post
Tips to avoid holiday colds and flus
It’s that time of year, when people get toge ther more — at work and school functions, parties, and holiday events — which is lots of fun, but also makes it easier for germs to get around. Here are some tips to help you avoid colds and flus (or if you are sick, to avoid passing your illness on to others). 1. Get your flu shot in advance...
Type: Post
MCR-1 gene in Canada
The discovery that the MCR-1 gene — which makes E. coli and some other species of bacteria resistant to colistin — has been in Canada for at least five years has scientists wondering when it first emerged and how to stop its spread. The existence of the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance, or MCR-1, gene was first reported in November 2015 in the medical journal <mark...
Type: Post
Antibiotic resistance: gene that enables resistance to spread between bacteria
[…] resistant to the last fully functional class of antibiotics, the polymyxins. This gene, they say, is widespread in bugs called Enterobacteriaceae carried by both pigs and people in south China and is likely to spread worldwide. The gene is easily transferred from one strain of bacteria to another.Enterobacteriaceae are capable of causing a range of diseases, from pneumonia to serious blood infections. Some...
Type: Post
Hand-Hygiene-Backgrounder
[…] 20114 Reported by BC health authorities in first fiscal quarter 2011/2012 Resources The following resources are available to help you increase proper hand h ygiene within your facility, and reduce serious infection. ● CHICA-Canada ● Safer Healthcare Now! Canada’s Hand Hygiene Challenge ● World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on Hand Hygiene www.clinicalcaremanagement.ca Measures The measure for hand hygiene is the percentage of healthcare provider compliance with appropriate hand hygiene practice. The percentage is the number of compliant...
Type: Media