Infectious disease

In 2014, 127 cases of Lyme disease were reported to public health authorities, including 66 cases that were acquired in Québec.

During that same year, the Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec received 2,549 Ixodes scapularis ticks from Québec, primarily from the Montérégie, Montréal, Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière, Laurentides and Estrie regions.

Lastly, active surveillance in 2014…

From April 1st, 2014, to March 31st, 2015, 45 hemodialysis units took part in the surveillance of vascular access–related bloodstream infections (VARBSIs) in hemodialysis (HD) patients, for a combined total of 55,640 patient-periods (Table 1). Participating units reported 156 VARBSIs in 142 patients. The proportion of patient-periods involving a fistula accounted for 43.4%. The VARBSI incidence rate was 0.09 cases per 100 patient-periods…

From April 1st, 2014, to March 31st, 2015, 67 intensive care units (ICUs) took part in surveillance of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), for a combined total of 130,776 catheter-days. Participating ICUs reported 115 CLABSIs in 112 patients. Incidence rates were 0.34 per 1,000 catheter-days in coronary ICUs, 0.52 in teaching adult ICUs, 0.76 in non-teaching adult ICUs, 2.06 in pediatric ICUs and 2.20 in neonatal ICUs. The…

From April 1st, 2014, to March 31st, 2015, 88 healthcare facilities took part in the hospital-wide surveillance of bloodstream infections (BSIs), for a combined total of 4,733,772 patient-days. Participating facilities reported 3,035 BSIs in 2,832 patients. The total incidence rate was 5.3 cases per 10,000 patient-days. The incidence rate in 2014–2015 was significantly lower compared to the average rate for 2010–2014 in facilities that…

From April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, 67 healthcare facilities (participation rate: 75.2%) took part in the surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Gram negative bacilli (CPGNB) infections, for a total of 3,225,934 patient-days (Table 1).

In total, 9 CPGNB infections were reported among patients who acquired their strain during a current or previous hospital stay in the reporting facility (…

From April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, 95 healthcare facilities participated in the surveillance of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD), for a combined total of 5,076,655 inpatient days. The participating facilities reported 3,453 cases of healthcare-associated (HA) CDAD. The incidence rate of HA CDAD was 6.8 cases per 10,000 patient days. This incidence rate was significantly lower compared to the rate of 2013–2014. The 10-day…

From April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, 89 healthcare facilities took part in the surveillance of healthcare-associated vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections, for a combined total of 4,839,578 patient days (Table 1). In total, 87 VRE infections were reported among patients who contracted strain during a current or previous hospital stay in the reporting facility (categories 1a + 1b). The incidence rate of healthcare-associated VRE infections (cat. 1a + 1b) was 0.18 / 10…

From April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, 89 healthcare facilities took part in the surveillance of healthcare-associated vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections, for a combined total of 4,948,058 patient days (Table 1). In total, 92 VRE infections were reported among patients who contracted strain during a current or previous hospital stay in the reporting facility (categories 1a + 1b). The incidence rate of healthcare-associated VRE infections (cat. 1a + 1b) was 0.19 / 10…

From April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, 95 healthcare facilities participated in the surveillance of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD), for a combined total of 5,121,300 inpatient days. The participating facilities reported 3,661 cases of healthcare-associated (HA) CDAD. The incidence rate of HA CDAD was 7.1 cases per 10,000 patient days. This incidence rate was stable compared to the rate of 2012–2013. The 10-day…

From April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, 88 healthcare facilities participated in the surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections, for a combined total of 4,689,050 inpatient days (Table 1). Together, these facilities reported 95 cases of healthcare-associated MRSA. The incidence rate was 0.20 / 10,000 patient-days. This incidence rate has declined over the past five years but has stabilized……