20 results on '"Proulx JF"'
Search Results
2. Results of a population screening intervention for tuberculosis in a Nunavik village, Quebec, 2015–2016
- Author
-
R, Dion, primary, Brisson, M, additional, Proulx, JF, additional, and Zoungrana, H, additional
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Increasing our knowledge about the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori in Nunavik's Inuit population (Québec, Canada) using Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 cross-sectional survey.
- Author
-
Ducrocq J, Lévesque B, De Serres G, Boiteau V, Yansouni CP, Proulx JF, and Talbot D
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Middle Aged, Adult, Male, Cross-Sectional Studies, Prevalence, Quebec epidemiology, Young Adult, Adolescent, Aged, Arctic Regions epidemiology, Health Surveys, Child, Stomach Neoplasms epidemiology, Stomach Neoplasms microbiology, Gastritis microbiology, Gastritis epidemiology, Gastritis ethnology, Helicobacter Infections epidemiology, Helicobacter Infections ethnology, Helicobacter pylori isolation & purification, Inuit
- Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that may colonise and proliferate in human stomachs, leading invariably to chronic inflammation and, to a lesser extent, to peptic ulcers and cancer. The main objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology surrounding H. pylori in Nunavik's Inuit population using the 2004 and 2017 Health Surveys. Estimated prevalences were 70.9% for bacterial colonisation using a stool antigens test (SAT), 72.5% for anti- H. pylori antibodies, 12.7% for faecal occult blood in participants aged ≥ 50 and respectively of 28.4%, 11.2% and 2.4% for a prior diagnosis of colonisation, gastritis and peptic ulcer in the medical charts, with under five cases of gastric cancer reported. Variables associated with higher SAT+ prevalence were the number of household members (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.03) and age (quadratic relationship), whereas mainly drinking municipal (PR = 0.84) and natural water (PR = 0.72) compared to bottled water, and increasing alcohol consumption (PR = 0.96) were associated with reduced prevalence. Despite current regional guidelines targeting high risk individuals in the context of high prevalence, Nunavik's health authorities must remain vigilant by following gastric cancer incidence and the rapid evolution of guidelines, while considering local realities.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Respiratory health and its determinants among Nunavimmiut: results from the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Health Survey.
- Author
-
Robert P, Lévesque B, Bourbeau J, Ahmad Khan F, Boulet LP, Dubé MA, Proulx JF, and Ayotte P
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Young Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Surveys, Prevalence, Smoking epidemiology, Male, Adolescent, Adult, Middle Aged, Airway Obstruction, Respiratory Sounds
- Abstract
Objectives: Respiratory diseases are the leading cause of hospitalization in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) and contribute to disparities in life expectancy with the rest of Canada. As part of Qanuilirpitaa? 2017, a cross-sectional population-based health survey, we sought to describe the prevalence of respiratory health indicators, including the first estimate of airway obstruction based on spirometry in an Inuit population, and explore their associated characteristics., Methods: We analyzed data from 1296 participants aged 16 years and older, using multivariate logistic regression to assess characteristics associated with spirometry-determined airway obstruction and self-reported respiratory symptoms, i.e., wheezing in the last year and chronic cough during at least 3 months., Results: In this relatively young population (83% aged 16 to 54), the prevalences of wheezing, chronic cough, and airway obstruction were, respectively, 27% (95% CI 24-30), 21% (18-23), and 17% (14-20). These estimates are prone to biases due to the relatively low participation rate (about 37%). The most consistent associations were with smoking (≥ 15 pack-years; odds ratio [OR] 3.13, 3.39, and 2.86 for the three indicators, respectively) and food security (OR 0.55 with wheezing and OR 0.26 with chronic cough), as defined in the Household Food Security Survey Module. Wheezing was also associated with allergic sensitization to dogs (2.60) and obesity (2.18). Chronic cough was associated with respiratory infections during childhood (2.12), housing in need of major repairs (1.72), and housing crowding (1.50), and was negatively associated with participation to traditional activities (0.62) and going on the land (0.64). Airway obstruction was associated with being underweight (3.84) and post-secondary education (0.40). Among young adults and women, wheezing was also associated with any inhalation of solvents for recreational purposes during their lifetime (2.62 and 1.56, respectively), while airway obstruction was associated with regular marijuana use (2.22 and 1.84, respectively)., Conclusion: Smoking and food insecurity are both highly prevalent and strongly associated with respiratory symptoms in Nunavik. Together with essential smoking prevention and cessation programs, our findings suggest that solving food security and housing crises, improving socioeconomic conditions, and promoting traditional lifestyle may improve respiratory health in Nunavik., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Epidemiology associated with the exposure to Toxoplasma gondii in Nunavik's Inuit population using the 2017 Qanuilirpitaa cross-sectional health survey.
- Author
-
Ducrocq J, Ndao M, Yansouni CP, Proulx JF, Mondor M, Hamel D, Lévesque B, De Serres G, and Talbot D
- Subjects
- Animals, Antibodies, Protozoan, Cross-Sectional Studies, Health Surveys, Humans, Inuit, Risk Factors, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Toxoplasma
- Abstract
Foci of high seroprevalence against Toxoplasma gondii are observed in Nunavik, the Inuit land of Northern Quebec (Canada). Considering the rare occurrence of felids in the region, exposure is suspected to be driven by water- and food-borne transmission routes. Hypotheses were that drinking untreated water from natural sources and eating country food mostly raw increased the risk of exposure to the parasite. Data from 1,300 Inuit participants of the 2017 Nunavik Health Survey were included in three weighted robust Poisson regression models. The effect of three types of exposure variables: (1) water treatment (yes/no) and if country food was mostly eaten raw (yes/no); (2) main source of drinking water (bottled/municipal/natural) and frequency of country food consumption (continuous) and (3) drinking water risk (low/intermediate/high) and frequency of a raw country food consumption (continuous), on the presence of Toxoplasma antibodies were estimated. Models were adjusted for age, sex and ecological region, with multiple sensitivity analyses being performed. Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalences were consistently correlated with age quadratically, sex (prevalence ratio = PR
woman/man ranged from 1.18 to 1.22), ecological region (PRHudsonBay/HudsonStrait ranged from 2.18 to 2.41; PRHudsonBay/UngavaBay ranged from 1.52 to 1.59) and consuming bivalve mollusc/urchin (PR varied from 1.02 to 1.21) across all three models. Each increase of two consumptions per month of beluga (PR ranged from 1.01 to 1.03), seal liver (PR ranged from 1.01 to 1.02) and goose (PR ranged from 1.01 to 1.02) were also associated with seropositivity, albeit more clearly in models 2 and 3, while drinking water mainly from natural (PR of 1.47) or municipal (PR = 1.42) sources compared to bottled water, was correlated with seroprevalence, although results were compatible with the null. Our results suggest that both the oocyst- (mollusc/urchin, drinking water) and cyst-borne (walrus, seal liver and goose) transmission pathways could be present in Nunavik., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Burden of respiratory infections and otitis media in the Inuit population of Nunavik, Quebec, Canada.
- Author
-
De Wals P, Zhou Z, LeMeur JB, and Proulx JF
- Subjects
- Arctic Regions epidemiology, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Quebec epidemiology, Seasons, Inuit statistics & numerical data, Otitis Media ethnology, Pneumococcal Vaccines administration & dosage, Respiratory Tract Infections ethnology, Vaccination Coverage statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Respiratory infections are a major health problem in the Inuit population of Nunavik, province of Quebec, Canada., Objectives: A study was undertaken to assess the burden of lower (LRTI) and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and otitis media (OM) and to explore some of their determinants including the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) status., Methods: The reference population includes children less than 5 years of age born in 1994-2010 and a sample of 825 children was selected for this study. Outpatient medical records were reviewed. Visits with a diagnosis of LRTI, URTI and OM were extracted. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of disease risk., Results: The average number of LRTI, URTI and OM episodes were, respectively, 2.6, 6.2 and 5.9 from birth up to the 5th birthday. Seasonal patterns were similar for URTI and OM, but was different for LRTI. Children who received the recommended 4 PCV doses had a lower LRTI and OM risk than unvaccinated children. There was a trend towards a lower OM risk associated with a mixed PCV10+ PCV13 schedule compared with PCV7., Conclusion: Results suggest a lower LRTI and OM risk associated with PCV use in this high-risk population but respiratory disease risk remains high compared with the general population in Quebec.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Previously undetected super-spreading of Mycobacterium tuberculosis revealed by deep sequencing.
- Author
-
Lee RS, Proulx JF, McIntosh F, Behr MA, and Hanage WP
- Subjects
- Disease Outbreaks, Genome, Bacterial, Humans, Molecular Epidemiology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetics, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Tuberculosis epidemiology, Tuberculosis microbiology, Carrier State, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing methods, Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenicity, Tuberculosis transmission
- Abstract
Tuberculosis disproportionately affects the Canadian Inuit. To address this, it is imperative we understand transmission dynamics in this population. We investigate whether 'deep' sequencing can provide additional resolution compared to standard sequencing, using a well-characterized outbreak from the Arctic (2011-2012, 50 cases). Samples were sequenced to ~500-1000x and reads were aligned to a novel local reference genome generated with PacBio SMRT sequencing. Consensus and heterogeneous variants were identified and compared across genomes. In contrast with previous genomic analyses using ~50x depth, deep sequencing allowed us to identify a novel super-spreader who likely transmitted to up to 17 other cases during the outbreak (35% of the remaining cases that year). It is increasingly evident that within-host diversity should be incorporated into transmission analyses; deep sequencing may facilitate more accurate detection of super-spreaders and transmission clusters. This has implications not only for TB, but all genomic studies of transmission - regardless of pathogen., Competing Interests: RL, JP, FM, MB, WH No competing interests declared, (© 2020, Lee et al.)
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. The unique contribution of a local response group in the field investigation and management of a trichinellosis outbreak in Nunavik (Québec, Canada).
- Author
-
Ducrocq J, Proulx JF, Simard M, Lévesque B, Iqaluk M, Elijassiapik L, Ningiuk E, Perkins P, Jacques S, and Lemire M
- Subjects
- Animals, Humans, Incidence, Medical Audit, Quebec epidemiology, Trichinellosis diagnosis, Community Networks, Disease Outbreaks prevention & control, Trichinellosis epidemiology, Walruses parasitology
- Abstract
Setting: Consumption of raw game meats is important for Inuit health and well-being but may sometimes increase risk of exposure to parasites. In Nunavik, following trichinellosis outbreaks in the 1980s caused by raw walrus consumption, a diagnostic test was developed for the region and offered to all Inuit communities by 1997. Despite this prevention program, an important trichinellosis outbreak occurred in 2013, affecting 18 inhabitants of Inukjuak., Intervention: Because the classical outbreak investigation did not rapidly converge toward a common food source or specific event, a local response group, composed of four community members appointed by the Municipal Council as well as the regional public health physician, nurse and wildlife parasitologist, was created. Their objective was to investigate potential sources of infection related to the outbreak, hence the investigation of the types of meats consumed, the movement of meats between and within the community, and the local practices of processing game meat., Outcomes: Though the source of infection was not fully confirmed, this local investigation identified the distribution of transformed polar bear meat as the most probable source of infection. The creation of this unique, intersectoral and intercultural local response group fostered the use of local knowledge to better understand aspects of the modern food system, and is one of the most innovative outcomes of this investigation., Implications: Integrating multiple ways of knowing was critical for the management of this important public health issue and contributed to community members' mobilization and empowerment with respect to local food safety issues.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Assessment of naturally acquired neutralizing antibodies against rabies Lyssavirus in a subset of Nunavik's Inuit population considered most at risk of being exposed to rabid animals.
- Author
-
Ducrocq J, Proulx JF, Lévesque B, De Serres G, Wood H, and Lemire M
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Animals, Canada epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Rabies epidemiology, Young Adult, Antibodies, Neutralizing blood, Antibodies, Viral blood, Inuit, Rabies veterinary, Rabies virus immunology, Zoonoses epidemiology
- Abstract
Contact with infected saliva through the bite of a rabid animal is the main route of infection with the rabies Lyssavirus in humans. Although a few individuals have survived the infection, rabies remains the most lethal zoonotic infection worldwide. Over the last century, the dogma that rabies is invariably fatal has been challenged by the survival and recovery of infected animals. In humans, 11 studies have found rabies virus-specific antibodies in unvaccinated individuals exposed to rabies virus reservoir species, suggesting the possibility of asymptomatic rabies virus infection, contact with non-infectious virus or exposure to the virus without viral replication. Two of these studies were conducted in Arctic hunters. Considering the extensive exposure of Nunavik's Inuit to potentially infected animals through hunting, trapping, skinning and the preparation of Arctic carnivores, we analysed archived serum samples from the 2004 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey for the presence of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies (rVNA) in this sub-population. A total of 196 participants who were considered at highest risk for exposure to rabies virus were targeted. Serum samples were tested for the presence of rVNA using a variation of the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test, an assay recommended for the quantification of neutralizing antibody titres following vaccination. Our study identified two seropositive individuals among the 196 participants but a review of their medical record and a phone interview revealed previous vaccination. Our results do not provide evidence for naturally acquired rVNA in Nunavik's Inuit population., (© 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Limited impact of pneumococcal vaccines on invasive pneumococcal disease in Nunavik (Quebec).
- Author
-
LeMeur JB, Lefebvre B, Proulx JF, and De Wals P
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumococcal Infections epidemiology, Program Evaluation, Quebec epidemiology, Retrospective Studies, Vaccines, Conjugate, Young Adult, Disease Outbreaks prevention & control, Mass Vaccination, Pneumococcal Infections prevention & control, Pneumococcal Vaccines administration & dosage
- Abstract
Objective: In 2002, a mass immunization campaign using the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) was carried out in Nunavik to control an outbreak caused by a virulent clone of serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae. At the same time, the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced for routine immunization of infants, replaced by the 10-valent vaccine (PCV10) in 2009, and the 13-valent vaccine (PCV13) in 2011. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in relation to pneumococcal vaccine use., Method: Retrospective analysis of IPD cases identified by the Quebec Public Health Laboratory during the period 1997-2016., Results: One hundred thirty-two IPD cases were identified during the study period. In adults, serotype 1 incidence decreased following the 2002 PPV23 mass campaign, but breakthrough cases occurred. Following PCV use, the incidence of vaccine-type IPD decreased markedly in children and also in adults but serotypes not covered by conjugate vaccines increased. The overall IPD rate was 43/100,000 person-years in the 1997-1999 pre-vaccine era and 58/100,000 person-years in 2010-2016., Conclusions: The 2002 PPV23 mass immunization campaign may have contributed to control the serotype 1 outbreaks in Nunavik, but its effect was short-lived as IPDs caused by serotypes included in this vaccine continued to occur after 2005. PCV use in children induced important modifications in the epidemiology of IPD, but most of the benefits were eroded by serotype replacement.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Results of a population screening intervention for tuberculosis in a Nunavik village, Quebec, 2015-2016.
- Author
-
Dion R, Brisson M, Proulx JF, and Zoungrana H
- Abstract
Background: A small village in Nunavik, Quebec experienced a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in 2012-2013 and then a resurgence in 2015-2016. Cases were still occurring, despite the fact that contact tracing had already been conducted on one quarter of the population. A decision was taken to conduct large-scale screening of the population for TB., Objective: To describe the results of a population-based TB screening intervention designed to identify individuals with latent TB infection (LTBI) or active TB requiring treatment., Methodology: The history of TB infection (either active TB or LTBI, defined as a positive tuberculin skin test result of at least five mm induration) and treatment (considered adequate if at least 80% of prescribed doses were taken) were determined. Those who were two years of age and older and had not been included in contact tracing after June 1, 2015 were included for TB screening (n=1,026 eligible individuals). Screening included a nurse assessment, tuberculin skin test (TST) for those with previous negative TST or of unknown status and chest X-ray for the others., Results: Of the eligible individuals in the affected village, 1,004 (98%) participated in the screening. Of these, 30% had a history of previous TB infection. A TST screening was administered to 71% of the participants, 10% of whom had positive results. Assessments were performed on 425 participants and 385 underwent a chest X-ray. Fifty-two cases of previously diagnosed active TB and three cases of new active TB were documented. In addition, there were 247 individuals with LTBI who had been previously identified (191 were found to have had adequate LTBI treatment, 56 were found to have had inadequate LTBI treatment) and 69 were identified with de novo LTBI. In addition, 633 participants were found to have no TB infection. There were 125 participants who were referred for LTBI treatment. Follow-up information was available for 120 and 85 (71%) of these completed the treatment., Conclusion: Within this northern village, which had persistent TB transmission despite classic control measures, population-based screening had a high degree of coverage and was an effective way to detect additional cases of individuals with active TB and those with LTBI., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None.
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Prevalence of middle ear abnormalities from otitis media in relation with pneumococcal vaccine use in the Inuit population of Nunavik, province of Quebec, Canada.
- Author
-
Le Meur JB, Ayukawa H, Proulx JF, and De Wals P
- Subjects
- Child, Preschool, Female, Hearing Tests, Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine therapeutic use, Humans, Immunization Programs, Immunization Schedule, Infant, Inuit, Male, Medical Records, Otitis Media complications, Pneumococcal Infections epidemiology, Prevalence, Quebec epidemiology, Retrospective Studies, Vaccination Coverage statistics & numerical data, Ear, Middle abnormalities, Otitis Media chemically induced, Pneumococcal Infections prevention & control, Pneumococcal Vaccines therapeutic use
- Abstract
Background: Otitis media (OM) constitutes an important public health problem in the Inuit population of Nunavik, Northern Quebec. One of the objectives of the childhood pneumococcal vaccination program is to reduce OM burden. The program was implemented in 2002, and 7-, 10-, and 13-valent conjugate vaccines were used sequentially, with doses offered at 2, 4, 6 and 12-18 months, respectively., Objective: To assess the prevalence of middle ear abnormalities at age 5 years in relation with exposure to different pneumococcal conjugate vaccines., Methods: Immunization cards and audiology screening tests at age 5 years of children born in 1994-2010 were reviewed. Children were classified according to the vaccine schedule recommended for their birth cohort or to the vaccines they actually received. Log-linked binomial regression models were used to assess the relative abnormalities risk according to different vaccination schedules., Results: Among 3517 children with complete documentation, the prevalences of minor and major abnormalities were 29% and 18%, respectively. Minor abnormalities frequency was higher in unvaccinated children (34%) and lower in children vaccinated with PCV7 (22%), PCV7 + PCV10 (17%), PCV10 (15%) and PCV10 + PCV13 (18%). No substantial differences among vaccine schedules were observed for major abnormalities., Conclusions: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccination was associated with a decreased frequency of middle ear abnormalities although no effect was seen for major abnormalities which may be trigger by OM with early onset. Clinicaltrials.gov registration number: NCT01694329., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Tuberculosis in the Circumpolar Region, 2006-2012.
- Author
-
Bourgeois AC, Zulz T, Bruce MG, Stenz F, Koch A, Parkinson A, Hennessy T, Cooper M, Newberry C, Randell E, Proulx JF, Hanley BE, Soini H, Arnesen TM, Mariandyshev A, Jonsson J, Søborg B, Wolfe J, Balancev G, Bruun de Neergaard R, and Archibald CP
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Distribution, Aged, Arctic Regions epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation & purification, Public Health, Retreatment statistics & numerical data, Sex Distribution, Tuberculosis diagnosis, Tuberculosis drug therapy, Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant diagnosis, Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant drug therapy, Young Adult, Antitubercular Agents therapeutic use, Sputum microbiology, Tuberculosis epidemiology, Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant epidemiology
- Abstract
Setting: The northern circumpolar jurisdictions Canada (Northwest Territories, Nunavik, Nunavut, Yukon), Finland, Greenland, Norway, Russian Federation (Arkhangelsk), Sweden and the United States (Alaska)., Objective: To describe and compare demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics, including drug resistance and treatment completion, of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the northern circumpolar populations., Design: Descriptive analysis of all active TB cases reported from 2006 to 2012 for incidence rate (IR), age and sex distribution, sputum smear and diagnostic site characteristics, drug resistance and treatment completion rates., Results: The annual IR of TB disease ranged from a low of 4.3 per 100 000 population in Northern Sweden to a high of 199.5/100 000 in Nunavik, QC, Canada. For all jurisdictions, IR was higher for males than for females. Yukon had the highest proportion of new cases compared with retreatment cases (96.6%). Alaska reported the highest percentage of laboratory-confirmed cases (87.4%). Smear-positive pulmonary cases ranged from 25.8% to 65.2%. Multidrug-resistant cases ranged from 0% (Northern Canada) to 46.3% (Arkhangelsk). Treatment outcome data, available up to 2011, demonstrated >80% treatment completion for four of the 10 jurisdictions., Conclusion: TB remains a serious public health issue in the circumpolar regions. Surveillance data contribute toward a better understanding and improved control of TB in the north.
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Characteristics of invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) from Nunavik, Canada and comparison with Hia strains in other North American Arctic regions.
- Author
-
Tsang RSW, Proulx JF, Hayden K, Shuel M, Lefebvre B, Boisvert AA, and Moore D
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Arctic Regions, Canada, Child, Child, Preschool, Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field, Haemophilus influenzae classification, Haemophilus influenzae genetics, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Middle Aged, Multilocus Sequence Typing, Serotyping, Haemophilus influenzae isolation & purification
- Abstract
Objective: This study examines the microbiological characteristics of invasive Haemophilus influenae serotype a (Hia) isolates from Nunavik (northern Quebec), Canada. The relationship between invasive Hia isolates from Nunavik, Nunavut, Canada, and Alaska, USA will be discussed., Methods: Twenty invasive Hia isolates were recovered from patients in Nunavik from 2010 to 2013 and characterized by biotype, multi-locus sequence typing, IS1016-bexA deletion, antibiotic susceptibility and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)., Results: All 20 Hia isolates were biotype II, sequence type -23, did not have IS1016-bexA deletions and were susceptible to all antibiotics tested. PFGE showed only two patterns, with 19 isolates giving identical molecular fingerprints, and the remaining isolate gave a PFGE pattern >95% similar., Conclusion: One major clone of Hia appears to be causing invasive disease in Nunavik, Canada. Based on previous studies, Hia from Nunavut were also typed as ST-23, while invasive Hia isolates from Alaska belonged to either ST-23 or closely related STs. Thus invasive Hia in the North America Arctic belonged to the ST-23 clonal complex and lacked the IS1016-bexA partial deletion., (Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Progression to tuberculosis disease increases with multiple exposures.
- Author
-
Lee RS, Proulx JF, Menzies D, and Behr MA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Canada epidemiology, Case-Control Studies, Child, Disease Progression, Female, Humans, Male, Multivariate Analysis, Risk Factors, Tuberculin Test, Young Adult, Contact Tracing, Environmental Exposure adverse effects, Mycobacterium isolation & purification, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary epidemiology
- Abstract
During a single year, a Canadian village had 34 individuals with microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis (TB) among 169 people with a new infection (20%). A contact investigation revealed multiple exposures for each person. We investigated whether the intensity of exposure might contribute to this extraordinary risk of disease.We carried out a case-control study using a public health database. Among those with a new infection, 34 had culture-confirmed TB (cases) and 118 did not progress to disease (controls). 17 patients with probable disease were excluded. Contact investigation data were utilised to tabulate the number of potential sources (total exposures). Generalised estimating equations with a logit link were used to identify associations between exposures and progression, and to investigate other potential risk factors.The median (interquartile range) number of total exposures was 15 (3-23) for cases and 3 (2-12) for controls (p=0.001). The adjusted OR for disease was 1.11 (95% CI 1.06-1.16) per additional exposure, corresponding to an OR of 3.4 for disease when comparing the medians of 15 versus 3 total exposures. This association increased when restricting to tuberculin skin test conversions.Increased exposure could be a marker of greater risk of progression to TB disease. Therefore, this risk may not be transportable across epidemiologic settings with variable exposure intensities., (Copyright ©ERS 2016.)
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Housing and tuberculosis in an Inuit village in northern Quebec: a case-control study.
- Author
-
Khan FA, Fox GJ, Lee RS, Riva M, Benedetti A, Proulx JF, Jung S, Hornby K, Behr MA, and Menzies D
- Abstract
Background: Between November 2011 and November 2012, an Inuit village in Nunavik, Quebec experienced a surge in the occurrence of active TB; contact investigations showed that TB infection was highly prevalent (62.6%), particularly among those over age 14 years (78.8%). A nested case-control study showed that nutritional inadequacy was associated with acquisition of infection but not progression to disease. We performed a study to determine whether characteristics of one's dwelling were associated with 1) acquisition of newly diagnosed TB infection and 2) progression to confirmed or probable disease among those with TB infection., Methods: In this nested case-control study, we enrolled 200 people who were household or social contacts of at least 1 person with active TB or had received a diagnosis of active TB and assessed whether characteristics of their dwellings were associated with their odds of having newly diagnosed TB infection and/or odds of progression to disease between November 2011 and November 2012. For our first objective, we compared participants with newly diagnosed TB infection (regardless of their disease status) to a control group of contacts who were uninfected. For the second objective, we compared participants with confirmed or probable disease to a control group consisting of those with infection but no disease. We used information collected during investigation of the contacts and from study questionnaires to determine whether participants may have been exposed to TB in their own home (if they had shared a dwelling with someone who had smear-positive TB during the outbreak) or in other dwellings that they visited at least weekly., Results: The participants lived in 79 dwellings. The mean number of people per room was 1.1 (standard deviation [SD] 0.5). The mean room size and ventilation level of the common living space (kitchen and living/dining rooms) were 67.9 (SD 9.4) m3 and 1.69 (SD 0.26) air changes per hour, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, the number of people per room was positively associated with the odds of newly diagnosed infection and odds of disease, but only among participants who lived with someone with smear-positive TB (the minority of participants). Other dwelling characteristics were not associated with either outcome., Interpretation: Reducing household crowding may contribute to TB prevention. Overall, our investigations have not identified associations that explain the elevated disease risk in this village. In light of our results and considering the high prevalence of TB infection, treatment of latent infection is an essential intervention for long-term reduction of TB incidence in this village., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Cryptosporidium hominis Is a Newly Recognized Pathogen in the Arctic Region of Nunavik, Canada: Molecular Characterization of an Outbreak.
- Author
-
Thivierge K, Iqbal A, Dixon B, Dion R, Levesque B, Cantin P, Cédilotte L, Ndao M, Proulx JF, and Yansouni CP
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Arctic Regions, Canada epidemiology, Child, Child, Preschool, Cryptosporidiosis parasitology, Cryptosporidiosis transmission, Cryptosporidium isolation & purification, DNA, Protozoan genetics, Diarrhea epidemiology, Diarrhea parasitology, Feces parasitology, Female, Genotype, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Male, Middle Aged, Oocysts ultrastructure, Protozoan Proteins genetics, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Young Adult, Cryptosporidiosis epidemiology, Cryptosporidium genetics, Disease Outbreaks
- Abstract
Background: Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of childhood diarrhea in low-resource settings, and has been repeatedly associated with impaired physical and cognitive development. In May 2013, an outbreak of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium hominis was identified in the Arctic region of Nunavik, Quebec. Human cryptosporidiosis transmission was previously unknown in this region, and very few previous studies have reported it elsewhere in the Arctic. We report clinical, molecular, and epidemiologic details of a multi-village Cryptosporidium outbreak in the Canadian Arctic., Methodology/principal Findings: We investigated the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis using a descriptive study of cases with onset between April 2013 and April 2014. Cases were defined as Nunavik inhabitants of any age presenting with diarrhea of any duration, in whom Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by stool microscopy in a specialised reference laboratory. Cryptosporidium was identified in stool from 51 of 283 individuals. The overall annual incidence rate (IR) was 420 / 100,000 inhabitants. The IR was highest among children aged less than 5 years (1290 /100,000 persons). Genetic subtyping for stool specimens from 14/51 cases was determined by DNA sequence analysis of the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Sequences aligned with C. hominis subtype Id in all cases. No common food or water source of infection was identified., Conclusions/significance: In this first observed outbreak of human cryptosporidiosis in this Arctic region, the high IR seen is cause for concern about the possible long-term effects on growth and development of children in Inuit communities, who face myriad other challenges such as overcrowding and food-insecurity. The temporal and geographic distribution of cases, as well as the identification of C. hominis subtype Id, suggest anthroponotic rather than zoonotic transmission. Barriers to timely diagnosis delayed the recognition of human cryptosporidiosis in this remote setting.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Population genomics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Inuit.
- Author
-
Lee RS, Radomski N, Proulx JF, Levade I, Shapiro BJ, McIntosh F, Soualhine H, Menzies D, and Behr MA
- Subjects
- Genes, Bacterial, Genetics, Population, Humans, Inuit, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Quebec epidemiology, Selection, Genetic, Tuberculosis epidemiology, Tuberculosis transmission, Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetics
- Abstract
Nunavik, Québec suffers from epidemic tuberculosis (TB), with an incidence 50-fold higher than the Canadian average. Molecular studies in this region have documented limited bacterial genetic diversity among Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, consistent with a founder strain and/or ongoing spread. We have used whole-genome sequencing on 163 M. tuberculosis isolates from 11 geographically isolated villages to provide a high-resolution portrait of bacterial genetic diversity in this setting. All isolates were lineage 4 (Euro-American), with two sublineages present (major, n = 153; minor, n = 10). Among major sublineage isolates, there was a median of 46 pairwise single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) was in the early 20th century. Pairs of isolates within a village had significantly fewer SNPs than pairs from different villages (median: 6 vs. 47, P < 0.00005), indicating that most transmission occurs within villages. There was an excess of nonsynonymous SNPs after the diversification of M. tuberculosis within Nunavik: The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) was 0.534 before the MRCA but 0.777 subsequently (P = 0.010). Nonsynonymous SNPs were detected across all gene categories, arguing against positive selection and toward genetic drift with relaxation of purifying selection. Supporting the latter possibility, 28 genes were partially or completely deleted since the MRCA, including genes previously reported to be essential for M. tuberculosis growth. Our findings indicate that the epidemiologic success of M. tuberculosis in this region is more likely due to an environment conducive to TB transmission than a particularly well-adapted strain.
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Inadequate Diet Is Associated with Acquiring Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in an Inuit Community. A Case-Control Study.
- Author
-
Fox GJ, Lee RS, Lucas M, Khan FA, Proulx JF, Hornby K, Jung S, Benedetti A, Behr MA, and Menzies D
- Subjects
- Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Case-Control Studies, Female, Fruit, Humans, Life Style, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, Odds Ratio, Quebec ethnology, Residence Characteristics, Risk Factors, Smoking, Surveys and Questionnaires, Tuberculosis drug therapy, Vegetables, Vitamins, Young Adult, Diet ethnology, Disease Outbreaks, Inuit ethnology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenicity, Nutritional Status ethnology, Tuberculosis ethnology
- Abstract
Background: Tuberculosis predominantly affects socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The extent to which specific dietary and lifestyle factors contribute to tuberculosis susceptibility has not been established., Methods: A total of 200 residents of a village in Northern Quebec were investigated during a tuberculosis outbreak and identified to have active tuberculosis, latent tuberculosis infection, or neither. Participants completed questionnaires about their intake of food from traditional and commercial sources, and provided blood samples. Adults were asked about recent smoking and drug and alcohol intake. Nutritional adequacy was evaluated with reference to North American standards. Multiple dietary, lifestyle, and housing factors were combined in a logistic regression model evaluating the contributions of each to disease and infection., Findings: After adjusting for potential confounding, new infection was associated with inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-4.3), carbohydrates (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.2-16.3), and certain vitamins and minerals. A multivariable model, combining nutrition, housing, and lifestyle factors, found associations between new infection and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0-5.1), living in the same house as a person with smear-positive tuberculosis (OR, 14.7; 95% CI, 1.6-137.3), and visiting a community gathering house (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.7-8.3). Current smoking was associated with new infection (OR, 9.4; 95% CI, 1.2-72) among adults completing a detailed lifestyle survey., Interpretation: Inadequate nutrition was associated with increased susceptibility to infection, but not active tuberculosis. Interventions addressed at improving nutrition may reduce susceptibility to infection in settings where access to healthy foods is limited.
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Reemergence and amplification of tuberculosis in the Canadian arctic.
- Author
-
Lee RS, Radomski N, Proulx JF, Manry J, McIntosh F, Desjardins F, Soualhine H, Domenech P, Reed MB, Menzies D, and Behr MA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Arctic Regions, Canada epidemiology, Communicable Diseases, Emerging microbiology, Female, Genome, Bacterial, Genotype, Humans, Male, Mycobacterium tuberculosis classification, Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetics, Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation & purification, Phylogeny, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Tuberculosis microbiology, Young Adult, Communicable Diseases, Emerging epidemiology, Disease Outbreaks, Tuberculosis epidemiology
- Abstract
Background: Between November 2011 and November 2012, a Canadian village of 933 persons had 50 culture-positive cases of tuberculosis, with 49 sharing the same genotype., Methods: We performed Illumina-based whole-genome sequencing on Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from this village, during and before the outbreak. Phylogenetic trees were generated using the maximum likelihood method., Results: Three distinct genotypes were identified. Strain I (n = 7) was isolated in 1991-1996. Strain II (n = 8) was isolated in 1996-2004. Strain III (n = 62) first appeared in 2007 and did not arise from strain I or II. Within strain III, there were 3 related but distinct clusters: IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. Between 2007 and 2010, cluster IIIA predominated (11 of 22 vs 2 of 40; P < .001), whereas in 2011-2012 clusters IIIB (n = 18) and IIIC (n = 20) predominated over cluster IIIA (n = 11). Combined evolutionary and epidemiologic analysis of strain III cases revealed that the outbreak in 2011-2012 was the result of ≥6 temporally staggered events, spanning from 1 reactivation case to a point-source outbreak of 20 cases., Conclusions: After the disappearance of 2 strains of M. tuberculosis in this village, its reemergence in 2007 was followed by an epidemiologic amplification, affecting >5% of the population., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.