Author profile
Judith Isaac-Renton, MD, DPH, FRCPC
When a patient presents with acute onset diarrhea, do you test? When you see several patients with vomiting and diarrhea over a short period, do you report to public health? In BC, summer marks the start of the... Read More
Noroviruses are extremely contagious viruses and the leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. Noroviruses cause an acute illness characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, and fever. Onset of symptoms typically... Read More
Noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of gastrointestinal (GI) illness worldwide. NoVs cause an acute illness characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, and fever. Symptoms most often appear between 24... Read More
In April 2009, a novel H1N1 influenza virus (pH1N1) was detected in southern USA and Mexico. It was first identified by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Microbiology Reference Laboratory (... Read More
Botulism is a rare but serious disease of both children and adults. Neurotoxins produced from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum produce a descending, symmetrical, flaccid paralysis that may result in respiratory... Read More
Malaria is a protozoan parasitic disease caused by infection of the red blood cells with one (rarely two) species of the genus Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale or P. malariae. Malaria was... Read More
Recent outbreaks in Canada, including the 2003 SARS outbreak, and the emergence of a virulent strain of Clostridium difficile in hospitals in Quebec have raised awareness in the medical community about issues... Read More
The Provincial Infection Prevention and Control Program (PIPCP), located at BCCDC Laboratory Services, offers province-wide consultation services. The program provides leadership by developing guidelines for infection... Read More
Access to safe water is a global priority. While Canada’s drinking water is recognized as both a valuable resource and an important determinant of population health, it is also a national concern following waterborne... Read More
In 2002, British Columbia witnessed an unprecedented number of outbreaks of gastroenteritis. The causative agent in over half of these outbreaks was the Norwalk-like virus, which has become a household word. The virus... Read More