Campylobacter coli outbreak in men who have sex with men, Quebec, Canada, 2010-2011.

During September 2010-November 2011, a cluster of erythromycin-susceptible, tetracycline- and ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter coli pulsovar 1 infections was documented, involving 10 case-patients, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The findings suggested sexual transmission of an enteric infection among men who have sex with men.

Incidence of hospital admissions and severe outcomes during the first and second waves of pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

BACKGROUND: Canada experienced two distinct waves of pandemic (H1N1) influenza during the 2009 pandemic, one in the spring and the second in early fall 2009. We compared the incidence of hospital admissions and severe outcomes (admission to intensive care unit [ICU] and death) during the two waves. METHODS: We reviewed data on all laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) influenza that resulted in hospital admission, ICU admission or death reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada by all provinces and territories from Apr. 18, 2009, to Apr. 3, 2010. RESULTS: A total of 8678 hospital admissions (including 1473 ICU admissions) and 428 deaths related to pandemic (H1N1) influenza were reported during the pandemic and post-peak period. There were 4.8 times more hospital admissions, 4.0 times more ICU admissions and 4.6 times more deaths in the second pandemic wave than in the first wave. ICU admissions and deaths as a proportion of hospital admissions declined in the second wave; there was a 16% proportional decline in ICU admissions and a 6% proportional decline in deaths compared with the first wave. Compared with patients admitted to hospital in the first wave, those admitted in the second wave were older (median age 30 v. 23 years) and more had underlying conditions (59.7% v. 47.5%). Pregnant women and Aboriginal people accounted for proportionally fewer patients who were admitted to hospital or who died in the second wave than in the first. INTERPRETATION: The epidemiologic features of the first and second waves of the 2009 pandemic differed. The second wave was substantially larger and, although the patients admitted to hospital were older and more of them had underlying conditions, a smaller proportion had a severe outcome.

The epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in the Canadian North from 1999 to 2010.

INTRODUCTION: The International Circumpolar Surveillance network is a population-based surveillance system that collects data on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Northern Canada. A 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was first introduced in some regions of Northern Canada in 2002, followed by 10-valent (2009) and 13-valent (PCV-13) vaccines (2010). A 23-valent polysaccharide (PPV-23) vaccine was first introduced in 1988 for special populations and adults aged 65 years and older. To describe the epidemiology in the context of pneumococcal vaccination programs, we analysed surveillance data from Northern Canada from 1999 to 2010. METHODS: A standardized case report form capturing demographic and clinical information was completed for all IPD cases in Northern Canada meeting the national case definition. Isolates were sent to a reference laboratory for confirmation, serotyping and antimicrobial resistance testing. Both laboratory and epidemiological data were sent to the Public Health Agency of Canada for analysis. Population denominators were obtained from Statistics Canada. RESULTS: From 1999 to 2010, 433 IPD cases were reported (average 36 cases per year). Incidence was greatest among infants aged < 2 years and among those aged 65 years and older, with an average annual incidence of 133 and 67 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. After a peak in incidence in 2008, rates among infants have declined. Incidence rates varied from 2 to 16 times greater, depending on the year, among Aboriginals compared to non-Aboriginals. Hospitalization was reported in 89% of all cases and the case fatality ratio was 6.0%. Clinical manifestations varied, with some patients reporting > 1 manifestation. Pneumonia was the most common (70%), followed by bacteremia/septicaemia (30%) and meningitis (8%). Approximately, 42% of cases aged < 2 years in 2009 and 2010 had serotypes covered by the PCV-13. In addition, the majority (89%) of serotypes isolated in cases aged 65 years and older were included in the PPV-23 vaccine. CONCLUSION: IPD continues to be a major cause of disease in Northern Canadian populations, with particularly high rates among infants and Aboriginals. Continued surveillance is needed to determine the impact of conjugate pneumococcal vaccine programs. Additional studies investigating factors that predispose infants and Aboriginal peoples would also be beneficial.

The epidemiology of invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae serotype a in the Canadian North from 2000 to 2010.

INTRODUCTION: The International Circumpolar Surveillance (ICS) project is a population-based surveillance network. Since 2000, Canada has participated in the ICS Invasive Bacterial Disease Working Group's surveillance of invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae (Hi). METHODS: A standardized case report form containing demographic and clinical information was completed for all reported Hi cases in the study regions. Isolates were sent to a reference laboratory for confirmation and serotyping. Analysis was conducted on all Hi serotype a (Hia) cases reported from 2000 to 2010. The northern Canadian population was estimated using Statistics Canada information. RESULTS: Of the 130 Hi cases reported from 2000 to 2010, 72 (56% of cases with serotype information) were due to Hia. The number of Hia cases reported each year ranged from 2 in 2008 to 13 in 2010. The average Hia incidence over the 11 years was 4.6 cases per 100,000 population per year. The majority of Hia occurred in infants less than 2 years of age (73% of cases). This age group had an average annual incidence of 87.5 cases per 100,000 population. Among cases for which ethnicity was indicated, 91% of Hia cases reported Aboriginal status with the average incidence being 6.9 cases per 100,000 population per year. The most common clinical presentation was meningitis (reported in 37% of cases), followed by bacteraemia (34%) and pneumonia (27%). More than 90% of cases were hospitalized, and there were 4 deaths, resulting in a case fatality ratio of 5.6%. CONCLUSION: In the last decade, Hia has become an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the Canadian North. More detailed surveillance information from a national perspective is needed. Further work on vaccine development should be encouraged.