HIV and STBBIs continue to be major public health problems in Canada. NCCID contributes to sexually-transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) prevention and control efforts by providing opportunities for knowledge exchange and transfer. 

Refugees and public health

NCCID's new knowledge transfer and exchange project on refugee health will inform and connect Canadian public health practitioners and policy-makers curious about:

• evidence-based clinical guidelines
• immunization, medical records and vaccine catch-up
• stigma and disclosure, especially HIV and TB
• effective strategies for screening and surveillance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) refers to changes in infectious organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites) so that they can no longer be controlled or treated effectively by standard drugs such as antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals. NCCID works with partners across the country to provide evidence and resources on AMR surveillance and antimicrobial use (AMU).

TB remains a public health challenge in this country. NCCID has begun to identify key gaps and opportunities where improved knowledge translation and exchange can facilitate:

• timely diagnosis of active TB, improved treatment adherence and outbreak management
• improved identification and management of latent TB infections
• standardized monitoring and performance measurement
• policy options that address the social determinants of health

The aim of this project stream is to provide the most recent information available on emerging infectious diseases to public health practitioners, policy makers and public health inspectors, via webinars, podcasts, publications and other online resources. Through these products, we also aim to enhance and strengthen effective knowledge translation between health practitioners and the public amidst conflicting information from various sources.

Each Canadian province and territory has legal requirements for reporting certain infectious diseases. The reporting requirements are usually outlined in legislation, and the list of conditions that must be reported is usually outlined in regulations. The NDDB is a compilation of case definitions in all Canadian provinces and territories.

NCCID led a collaborative project responding to knowledge gaps for the prevention and control of influenza, where questions remain about surveillance methods, estimates of the burden of influenza, the effectiveness of vaccination and other prevention strategies, and equitable delivery of services.