Author profile
Linda M.N. Hoang, MD, MHSc, FRCPC
British Columbia was one of the first jurisdictions in the world to implement a saline rinse-gargle (“saline gargle”) collection method for COVID-19 testing. In September 2020, collection centres across BC started... Read More
Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) continue to be a public-health and infection-prevention and control problem globally. CPOs refer to gram-negative bacteria, normally found in the gut, that have acquired... Read More
Background Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Chlamydia trachomatis serovars L1, L2, L2b, and L3. These serovars preferentially target lymph tissues, often leading to... Read More
A 45-year-old healthy female presents to you with a 3-week history of nonbloody diarrhea. Initially she experienced 5 to 10 watery bowel movements per day with abdominal pain, low-grade fever, fatigue, and nausea.... Read More
Clostridium difficile infection continues to be a common cause of health care–associated diarrhea in North America, contributing to patient morbidity and mortality. C. difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming,... Read More
Legionnaires’ disease is often severe and is a potentially fatal form of bacterial pneumonia, particularly in individuals with compromised health status. Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 accounts for the... Read More
Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) are bacteria with an acquired genetic resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics, including the carbapenem family of drugs. Provincial data from as early as 2008 indicate that CPO-... Read More
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
Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularenis, which is endemic in British Columbia and other parts of Canada.[1,2] There are various clinical presentations, and diagnosis may be difficult. ... Read More
Background Streptococcus pneumoniae causes a range of invasive and noninvasive infections and remains the primary agent of community-acquired pneumonia.[1] Until recently the only licensed vaccine available was... Read More