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Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Canada: What public health needs to know

Introduction

In this presentation, we will describe concerns related to global and national multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) epidemiology. We will also review key steps in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Important challenges faced by Canadian public health systems in responding to MDR TB and solutions to support people who are affected will also be discussed.   

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In this presentation, we described concerns related to global and national multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) epidemiology. We also reviewed key steps in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Important challenges faced by Canadian public health systems in responding to MDR-TB and solutions to support people who affected were also discussed.  

Date  

June 13, 2023 

Synopsis 

Multidrug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) is a potentially fatal and difficult to treat infectious disease. Incidence in Canada is low but may increase in coming years. Managing MDR-TB presents several challenges for public health systems and places an enormous burden on those affected and their families.  

Objectives 

  1. Provide a deeper understanding of why MDR-TB is a serious threat to public health in Canada. 
  2. Provide information on key challenges for the Canadian response to MDR-TB.   
  3. Increase awareness of solutions to reduce MDR-TB incidence in Canada and to support people affected and their families. 

This webinar was conducted in English and included a Q&A session. 

Moderator 

Nancy Bedingfield, Project Manager 

Speaker  

Dr. Brett Edwards is a clinician and researcher in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. He completed his subspecialty medicine training in Infectious Diseases before obtaining a Clinical and Research Fellowship in Mycobacterial Disease at the University of Toronto and West Park Health Care Centre. He obtained further clinical training in TB, including drug-resistant TB, at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, which sees some of the highest rates of MDR-TB worldwide. He currently works with Calgary TB Services, which works directly with Public Health in Alberta, in addition to Clinical Infectious Diseases, and the Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Program at the University of Calgary.

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