Infectious disease

Given the desire to harmonize medical and nursing practices in the field of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the need to provide better guidance on the intervention known as expedited partner therapy (EPT), the Institut national de santé publique du Québec received a request from the Collège des médecins du Québec and the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. The purpose of this request was to issue a scientific opinion, including recommendations, on the effectiveness,…

The frequency of adverse events (incidents and accidents) related to medical device reprocessing (MDR) is a concern for health care services. By definition, an incident means that a medical device breaches a recognized standard for MDR without having been used on a patient. An accident refers to any use on a patient of a medical device which does not meet a recognized standard for MDR, with that use potentially affecting the patient’s health status (INSPQ, 2014).

This report…

A lot of new data on the immunogenicity, efficacy and effectiveness of fewer than three doses of HPV vaccine have become available since the publication of the CIQ report on the 2012 knowledge update. The two-dose schedule has become a standard that is widely accepted around the world. Such schedules are currently in use in more than half (48/82) of the countries offering HPV vaccination programs. The same schedule has been approved and recommended by the World Health Organization (W HO) and…

The Identification guide for ticks found in Québec was developed for physicians, veterinarians and other health professionals to inform them about the main types of ticks found in Québec and to help them identify specimens brought to them by their patients.

There are about 900 tick species worldwide. Ticks are Acari that parasitize most vertebrates, including humans, by feeding on their blood.

In Québec, 12 tick species have been identified so…

The childhood immunization program was implemented in Québec to reduce the burden of pneumococcal disease, with the primary objective of lowering the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). The program began in 2002, targeting children with a high risk of IPD, and in 2004 it became a universal program for all children under age five. A schedule of four doses (3+1) is recommended for high-risk children and three (2+1) for other children. 

The initial 7-…

From April 1^st, 2016, to March 31^st, 2017, 48 hemodialysis units took part in the surveillance of vascular access–related bloodstream infections (VARBSIs) in hemodialysis (HD) patients, for a combined total of 57,570 patient-periods (Table 1). Participating units reported 127 VARBSIs in 120 patients. Patient-periods involving a fistula account for 40.7% of patient-periods. The VARBSI incidence rate is 0.06 cases per 100…

From April 1^st, 2016, to March 31^st, 2017, 69 intensive care units (ICUs) took part in surveillance of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), for a combined total of 135,114 catheter days (Table 1). Participating ICUs report 133 CLABSIs in 125 patients. Incidence rates are 0.91 per 1,000 catheter days in coronary ICUs, 0.62 in teaching adult ICUs, 0.46 in non-teaching adult ICUs, 2.16 in pediatric ICUs and…

From April 1^st, 2016, to March 31^st, 2017, 89 healthcare facilities took part in the hospital-wide surveillance of bloodstream infections (BSIs), for a combined total of 4,830,348 patient days (Table 1). Participating facilities reported 3,167 BSIs in 2,982 patients. The total incidence rate was 5.43 cases per 10,000 patient days. The incidence rate in 2016–2017 is stable compared with the average rate for 2012–2016…

From April 1^st, 2016 to March 31^st, 2017, 95 healthcare facilities participated in the Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) surveillance program, for a combined total of 5,022,104 patient days (Table 1). These participating facilities reported 2,330 healthcare-associated CDAD (HA-CDAD), either acquired during a current or previous hospitalization (categories 1a and 1b). The HA-CDAD incidence rate was 4.64 …

From April 1^st, 2016, to March 31^st, 2017, 82 healthcare facilities took part in the surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Gram negative bacilli (CPGNB) infections, for a total of 4,448,999 patient days (Table 1). These facilities reported 17 healthcare-associated CPGNB (HA-CPGNB) infections among patients who acquired their strain during a current or previous hospitalization (categories 1a and 1b). The incidence rate of HA-CPGNB infection was 0.04 per 10,000 patient…