Infectious disease

From April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, 73 healthcare facilities took part in the surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Gram negative bacilli (CPGNB) infections, for a total of 3,749,277 patient days (Table 1). In total, four CPGNB infections were reported among patients who acquired their strain during a current or previous hospital stay in the reporting facility (categories 1a and 1b). The incidence rate of healthcare-associated CPGNB infection (cat. 1a and 1b) was 0.011 per 10,000…

From April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, 89 healthcare facilities took part in the surveillance of healthcare-associated vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections, for a combined total of 4,833,086 patient days (Table 1). In total, 78 VRE infections were reported among patients who contracted strain during a current or previous hospital stay in the reporting facility (categories 1a and 1b). The incidence rate of healthcare-associated VRE infection (cat. 1a and 1b) was 0.16 per 10…

From April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, 89 healthcare facilities participated in the surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections, for a combined total of 4,851,752 inpatient days (Table 1). Together, these facilities reported 65 cases of healthcare-associated MRSA bloodstream infections (HA-MRSA-BSI). The incidence rate was 0.13 per 10,000 patient-days. This incidence rate of HA-MRSA-BSI has……

In 2010, the Comité sur les infections nosocomiales du Québec (CINQ) [Québec healthcare-associated infections committee] released its guidelines for preventing and controlling transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and then more recently, in 2015, its measures to prevent and control transmission of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) in acute care settings.

The application of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in long-term care…

Zika virus emerged in the Americas in 2015 and has since expanded its geographical range significantly. Currently, the virus is transmitted locally in 35 countries of the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Zika virus infection is benign: 70 to 80% of patients have no symptoms, whereas 20% have a fever and rash accompanied by arthralgia and myalgia, conjunctivitis, headache, retro-orbital pain and fatigue.

Zika virus infection can cause neurological…

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 (…