Program 2026

Final Program

Updated as of April 28, 2026

Scientific Program

* Information available at time of publication – subject to change  

** All times indicated in Canadian Newfoundland Daylight Time (NDT)

Legend

Delta St. John’s (Delta) 

St. John’s Convention Centre (SJCC) 

Speaker Bios
Conflict of Interest
Educational Grants

Pre-Conference Program

Monday, April 27

12:00 – 17:00

AMMI Canada Council Meeting

Room: Brownsdale, Delta 

Pre-Conference Program

Tuesday, April 28

08:00 – 17:00

FCCM Exams

Room: Bonnavista Bay, Delta 

08:00 – 12:00

AMMI Canada Council Meeting

Room: Brownsdale, Delta

11:00 – 18:00

Conference Registration

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

CANCELLED

Dr. Bugs Escape Room

CANCELLED

11:00 – 17:00

Speaker Ready Room 

Room: Placentia Bay, Delta

12:00 – 17:00

Lunch & Meeting AMMI Canada Clinical Research Network (CRN)

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 17:00 Meeting

Room: Harbourview Ballroom, Delta

14:30 – 17:30

CACMID Board Meeting

Room: Brownsdale, Delta

12:30 – 17:00

Trainees’ Day

Room: Victoria, SJCC

12:30 – 12:45

Registration

Trainees’ Registration Day

12:45 – 14:00

Job Prospects and Transition to Practice
Moderator:

Titus Olukitibi (MB)

Speakers:

Soma Dalai (ON)
Vanessa Tran (ON)
Guillaume Poliquin (MB)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Identify the various career pathways available in Medical Microbiology, Infectious Disease, and Clinical Microbiology
  • Review key skills and experiences to enhance employability in these career paths
  • Discuss effective techniques for networking & securing/navigating job interviews and contract negotiations

14:00 – 14:15  –  Break

14:15 – 15:15

Exam Prep

Moderator:

Geneviève Amaral (BC)

Speakers:

Brody Duncan, Medical Microbiology (ON)

Soma Dalai, Infectious Diseases (ON)

Ashley Williams, Clinical Microbiology (SK)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Develop an effective study strategy that includes group and individual study, wellness tips, finding key resources, and navigating the oral and written exam
  • Integrate current evidence into exam preparation, including recent clinical trials and guidelines

15:15 – 15:45  –  Break

15:45 – 17:00

Microbial Pursuit

Moderator:

Shaqil Peermohamed (BC)

17:00 – 18:00

Trainees’ Day and CRN Reception

All attendees on site on Tuesday, April 28 are warmly invited to join trainees, students, members of the AMMI Canada and CACMID Boards, and AMMI Canada Clinical Research Network (CRN) participants for an informal welcome reception. This event offers a valuable opportunity to connect with trainees and students in an informal setting and engage with colleagues at the start of the conference.

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Conference Program

Wednesday, April 29

07:00 – 17:00

Speaker Ready Room

Room: Placentia Bay, Delta

07:00 – 18:00

Internet Café

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 18:30

Conference Registration

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 08:30

AMMI Canada AGM and Sections Meeting

Room: Victoria, SJCC

08:45 – 10:15

Welcome, Merits Awards and Plenary

Evidence, Trust and Misinformation: A Panel Discussion

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderators:

Susan Poutanen (ON)
Rob Kozak (ON)

Speakers:

Jeanne Marrazzo (US)
Robin Patel (US)
Yves Longtin (QC)
Prameet Sheth (ON)

Leaders from Canada and the United States come together to examine the current state of evidence-based medicine in an era of increasing scientific misinformation. The discussion will explore the impact on clinical practice, public trust, and policy, and will highlight strategies to reinforce scientific integrity and trust across borders.

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Discuss how changes in the United States have impacted practice and research in Canada as it relates to infectious diseases, medical microbiology, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control and prevention, and public health
  • Summarize pragmatic solutions to challenges currently faced due to changes in the United States
  • Describe measures IDSA, ASM, AMMI Canada, and CACMID have implemented already in response to changes in the United States

10:00 – 19:00

Dr. Bugs Escape Room

Last group entrance 18:30

Room: Pippy, SJCC

10:15 – 10:45

Exhibit Hall Open: Break in Exhibit Hall

Room: Bowring Ballroom, SJCC

10:45 – 11:45

State of the Art (START) Lecture

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at the Human-Animal Interface: What’s New, What’s Certain, What’s Next?

Moderator:

Rob Kozak (ON)

Speakers:

Valerie Le Sage (US)
Erin Leonard (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Synthesize the current HPAI landscape across avian and mammalian hosts including key transmission ecologies, geographic hot spots, and implications for onward spillover risk
  • Review biosafety considerations, PEP principles, and where candidate/pre-pandemic vaccines fit into preparedness planning

11:45 – 13:45

Lunch in Exhibit Hall

Room: Bowring Ballroom, SJCC

14:00 – 15:00

The Unfinished Story: Pneumococcal Disease in Older At-Risk Adults

Co-developed learning activity with Merck

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderator:

Peter Daley (NL)

Speakers:

Donald Vinh (QC)
Ronald Grossman (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the burden of pneumococcal disease in at-risk Canadian adults, including the epidemiology of pneumonia and associated cardio-pulmonary complications
  • Review the microbiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae, with emphasis on serotype distribution and current antimicrobial resistance trends in Canada
  • Discuss vaccination strategies for prevention in adult populations, including emerging vaccines, targeting multidrug-resistant pathogens, and the role of respiratory virus prevention in reducing pneumococcal disease burden

15:00 – 15:30  –  Transition Break to Delta

15:30 – 16:30

Concurrent Sessions

MasterClass
CLSI M100 & M64 in Action – Adapting to New Taxonomy, Drugs, and Breakpoints

Room: Avalon A Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Robert Taylor (NL)

Speaker:

Tanis Dingle (AB)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Briefly summarize the key challenges to implement taxonomic changes as well as updates in the recent CLSI M100
  • M64: Describe strategies for implementing taxonomic changes and communicating them to laboratory staff and clinical end users
  • M100: Develop a plan for incorporating difficult M100 updates into routine testing, including the verification of new antimicrobial agents/breakpoints

MasterClass
Maternal and Congenital Infections: Hidden Pitfalls and Emerging Lessons

Room: Avalon B Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Nisha Thampi (ON)

Speakers:

Jason Brophy (ON)
Jessica Dunn (AB)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the epidemiology and transmission pathways of common maternal-to-infant infections in the Canadian context.
  • Distinguish the clinical presentations and timing of transmission (in utero, intrapartum, postnatal) for key pathogens (e.g., CMV, syphilis, toxoplasmosis), and interpret their implications for neonatal outcomes.
  • Discuss approaches to screening, prevention, and management of maternal-to-infant infections, including consideration of targeted and population-based screening strategies.
  • Incorporate a congenital infection risk-reduction approach into the clinical management of pregnant individuals and neonates.

15:30 – 16:00

Lightning Learning

The Top 5 Things ID Docs Ask Me (as an ID Pharmacist)

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Zareen Fatima (ON)

Speaker:

Jackson Stewart (AB)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Discuss the clinical relevance of commonly used PK/PD principles (loading doses, compartment penetration) that inform bedside decision making
  • Review common concerns for antimicrobial adverse effects (QTc prolongation, linezolid serotonin syndrome) and how to approach them in practice
  • Outline a framework to better identify an antimicrobial allergy culprit in the context of polypharmacy

16:00 – 16:05  –  Break

16:05 – 16:35

Lightning Learning

Optimizing antibiotic stewardship using the AMMI Canada Canadian Antibiotic Treatment Guidance (CATG)

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Peter Daley (NL)

Speakers:

Deborah Yamamura (ON)
Dena Zeraatkar (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Apply evidence-based empiric antibiotic selection and treatment duration for common infectious syndromes
  • Apply a penicillin risk assessment tool to guide appropriate antibiotic selection in low-risk and high-risk reactions
  • Integrate the Firstline app into point-of-care decision-making to support appropriate antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship practices

16:30 – 16:45  –  Break

16:45 – 18:15

Concurrent Sessions

Oral Presentations A: Student Competition (A01 – A05)

Room: Avalon A Ballroom, Delta

Alternative quadruplex real-time PCR reactions for detection and discrimination of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes within serogroup 6

Samuel F Hatchette1, Nicole Paterson1, Ariela Polsky1, Peter Robertson1, Gregory R McCracken2, Zhenyu Cheng1, Jason J LeBlanc1,2,3

1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nova Scotia Health (NSH), Halifax, NS, Canada; 3Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Obesity’s impact on Piperacillin-Tazobactam: Development of a Population Pharmacokinetic Model

Guiva Annane1,2, Benoit Crevier3, Anis Ouyahia3, Sabrina Larocque2, Britanny Bernard2, Justine Brasseur-Masse2, Juliette Fournier2, Amélie Marsot1,2,4

1Laboratoire STP2, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre, Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, Greenfield Park, QC, Canada; 4CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada

Long-term evaluation of a multiplex staphylococcal PCR for positive blood cultures: reliable but limited by batch testing

Austin Yan1, Leanne Mortimer2,3

1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 3Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

Concomitant rise of hypervirulent M1UK and macrolide-resistant emm92 explains recent increases in invasive group A streptococci activity in Nova Scotia

Ariela Polsky1, Samuel F Hatchette1, Nicole Paterson1, Gregory R McCracken2, Allana Loder3, Janice Pettipas4, Elizabeth Simms2,4,5, Golden Alyssa3, Irene Martin3, Jason J LeBlanc1,2,5

1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nova Scotia Health (NSH), Halifax, NS, Canada; 3National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 4Nova Scotia Provincial Public Health Laboratory Network (PPHLN), Halifax, NS, Canada; 5Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spread and the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Francis Anokye1, Michael WZ Li2, Steve Walker3, Amy Hurford1

1Memorial University of Newfoundland, St, John’s, NL, Canada; 2Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada; 3Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Oral Presentations B (B01 – B05)

Room: Avalon B Ballroom, Delta

Antimicrobial use rate in care delivered virtually

Jennifer Woodrow1, Haiyan Wang1, Gerry McDonald1, Luke Porter2, Robert Wilson3, Peter Daley1

1NL Health Services, St. John’s, NL, Canada; 2Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada; 3Quality of Care NL, St. John’s, NL, Canada

Meeting the rising demand for syphilis testing: Laboratory outcomes with automated RPR testing

Brian MacPhee1,2, Krupa Zora2, Navkiran Randhawa2, Emily McCullough2, Sali Sidig2, Hong Yuan Zhou3,4, Natalie C. Marshall2,5

  • 1School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. 2Public Health Laboratory (ProvLab), Alberta Precision Labs, Edmonton, AB, Canada. 3Public Health Laboratory (ProvLab), Alberta Precision Labs, Calgary, AB, Canada. 4Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 5Division of Diagnostic & Applied Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Two-year experience of direct specimen bacterial identification by 16S Sanger sequencing at a public health laboratory

Tanis C, Dingle1,2, Kanti Pabbaraju1, Anita A, Wong1, Christina Ferrato1, Kara Gill1, Gregory J, Tyrrell3,4

1Alberta Precision Laboratories, Public Health Laboratory, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 3Alberta Precision Laboratories, Public Health Laboratory, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 4University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Non-gendered donor questionnaires: a two-year review of blood safety

Catherine Thibeault, Antoine Lewin, Christine Milot, Marc Germain, Christian Renaud

Héma-Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada

Appropriateness of antibiotic use for migrants and non-migrants >65 years of age in Ontario, Canada

Kevin L Schwartz1, Chia-Yuan Chang2, Fawziah Marra2, Deva Thiruchelvam3, Erica Chuang4, Kalisha Ramlackhan1, Bradley J Langford1, Valerie Leung1, Nick Daneman5, Kevin Brown1, Ariana Saatchi2, Hannah Lishman4, Michael Silverman6, David M Patrick4

1Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 5Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada

Preferences for HIV and STI prevention methods among transgender and gender diverse people

Abigail LeCates1, Sarah Wishloff1, Rosalind Byrd1, Shericia Campbell1, Athena DF Sherman2, Cassie G Ackerley1,3

1Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 2Emory University School of Nursing, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 3Memorial University of Newfoundland, St, John’s, NL, Canada

Rapid Fire Presentations A (RFA001 – RFA010)

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

External evaluation of population pharmacokinetic models of dolutegravir in pediatrics

Émilie Pilote1,2, Nancy L. Sheehan1,2, Marie-Élaine Métras1,3, Jason Brophy4, Amélie Marsot1

1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2McGill University Health Center (MUHC), Montreal, QC, Canada; 3CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada; 4Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, ON, Canada

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Voriconazole, Posaconazole, and Itraconazole in Haemato-Oncological and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Pediatric Patients

Bazlin Binti Ramly, Hana Mitchell, Jennifer Kendrick

British Columbia Children’s Hospital, BC, Canada

Evaluation of direct-from-blood-culture disk diffusion testing for Gram-negative bacilli at a regional microbiology laboratory

Austin Yan1, Vincent Deslandes1,2

1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Development and individualized presentation of regional-local urinary antibiograms for use in long-term care homes across the province

Ian B, Langleben1, Bradley J, Langford2,3, Kevin A, Brown2,4, Sarah Swayze5, Lucas Castellani6, Dan Dalton7, Fiona Emdin2,8,9, Samantha Lee5, Valerie Leung2,10, Larissa Matukas1, Anjali Oberai11, Kevin L, Schwartz2,4,12, Nick Daneman2,8,13

1University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 4Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada; 7CareRx Corporation, Toronto, ON, Canada; 8Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, Toronto, ON, Canada; 9Global Strategy Lab, Toronto, ON, Canada; 10Toronto East Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 11Wawa Family Health Team, Wawa, ON, Canada; 12Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 13Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Target attainment and pharmacokinetic variability of antimicrobials in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy

Ibrahim El-Haffaf1,2, David Williamson1,3, Alexandros Cavayas Yiorgos3, Marc-Alexandre Duceppe4, Chantale Simard5, Han Ting Wang6, Zoé Thiboutot6, Amélie Marsot1,2

1Faculty of pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2Laboratoire de suivi thérapeutique pharmacologique et pharmacocinétique, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 4Centre universitaire de santé McGill, Montreal, QC, Canada; 5Faculty of pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada; 6Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

Stool metagenomic detection of Clostridioides difficile before and after hematopoietic cell transplantation
Austin Yan1,2, Jaxon Senechal1,3, Leanne Mortimer1,2,3,4, Andrew Purrsell1,2,3, Nicole Janusz1,2, Tamara Leite3, Amanda Carroll3, Natasha Kekre1,2,3, Michael Kennah1,2, C. Arianne Buchan1,2,3, Derek MacFadden1,2,3 1University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. 2The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada. 3The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. 4Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
A Rapid Reverse Genetics Platform Using NanoLuc Reporter SARS-CoV-2 for Antiviral Evaluation Against Emerging Variants

Megha Rohamare1, Nidhi Kaushik1,2, Juveriya Qamar Khan1, Mahrokh Balouchi1, Joaquin Lopez-Orozco3, Robert Kozak4,5,6, Tom C Hobman3, Darryl Falzarano2,1, Anil Kumar1, Joyce Wilson1

1University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; 2Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; 3University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 4Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5Shared Hospital Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

A comprehensive survey of paediatric blood culture practices in North America

Sandra Isabel1,2,3,4, Brianna Ball1,2,3, Manal Tadros5,6, Pierre-Philippe Piché-Renaud4, Anissa Brahami7, Christian Renaud8,9, Isabelle Viel-Thériault1,2,3, Aaron Campigotto5,6

1Département de pédiatrie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; 2Axe Maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; 3Centre de recherche en infectiologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; 4Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; 7Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 8Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 9Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, OPTILAB Montreal — Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada

Improving stool-based diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori

Tess Wilson1,2, Doris Williams2, Sarah Marttala2, Ian Restall1,2, Padman Jayaratne1,3, Salaheddin Abouanaser1,3, Marek Smieja1,2,3

1McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 2Research Institute at St, Joe’s Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 3Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program (HRLMP), Hamilton, ON, Canada

Are pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) targets being met? Real-World Vancomycin dosing practices and predictors of Optimal Target Attainment

Van Dong Nguyen1,2,3, Mikhail-Paul Cardinal1,2, François Bourdeau2, Alexandre Rivard2,4, Daniel Thirion1,2, Amélie Marsot1,3,5

1Faculté de pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2Department of Pharmacy, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3Laboratoire STP2, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 4Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 5Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada

Rapid Fire Presentations B (RFB001 – RFB010)

Room: Harbourview Ballroom, Delta

Impact of the Future-Use Special Access Programme on the availability of antibiotics to treat multi-drug-resistant infections in a Canadian hospital system

Rebecca Druken1, Irina Rajakumar1, Brandon Christensen2

1Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

Real time PCR detection of mold cell-free DNA in plasma of immunocompromised patients

Corrie R Belanger1,2, Kerstin Locher1,2, Billie Velapatino1,2, Senta G Reuss3, Othman Alhekail2, Anthony Lieu1,2, Marthe Charles1,2

1Vancouver Coastal Health, Division of Medical Microbiology, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Increased Ertapenem MIC Cut-offs for Carbapenemase-confirmation: Significant reduction in confirmatory testing without loss of sensitivity

Philippe Lagacé-Wiens1,2, Kenneth Wu1, Heather Adam1,2, Andrew Walkty1,2, Christine Turenne1,2, James Karlowsky1,2

1Shared Health, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 2University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

A National tick-borne Infection Survey of Canadian Patients: Diagnostic Pathways, Care Access, and Health-System Barriers

Don Graham

Lyme: OhOh Canada; Toronto, ON, Canada; Canadian Lyme Coalition, Toronto, ON, Canada

Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy Clinical Outcomes Registry and Evaluation (OPAT CORE): Development, validation, and preliminary results of electronic medical record integrated multi-hospital prospective registry in Vancouver, British Columbia,

William J Connors1,2, Shaqil Peermohamed1,3, Victoria Weaver1,3, Josh Douglas1,4, Queenie Dinh1,2, Alissa Wright1,3

1Division of Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2St.Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 4Lions Gate Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Clinical performance of Aspergillus PCR in bronchial samples for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis

Billie Velapatino1,2, Kerstin Locher1,2, Suefay Liu1,2, Anthony Lieu1,2, Sean Ling1,2, Corrie Belanger1,2, Marthe Charles1,2

1Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cefiderocol susceptibility of carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales and Acinetobacter sp in Canada

Laura F Mataseje1, Yves Longtin2, Kathleen Dunn3, Jacqueline Arthur3, Mandy Reimer1, George Golding1, Amrita Bharat1, CNISP CPO Working Group3

1National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 2Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Automated Detection of Alphaherpesviruses: Validation of the UC‑TIB‑HSV/VZV Assay on the cobas® 5800 System

Hanh Tran1, Shannon Schofield1, Fatimah AlMutawa1,2, Johan Delport1,2, Sameer Elsayed1,2, Jeffrey Fuller1,2, Ruchika Gupta1,2, Fatima Khalil-Clair1, Allie McBride1, Ana Cabrera1,2

1Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada; 2Shulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak analysis using whole genome sequencing

Melisa Avaness1, Amber Linkenheld1, Heather Candon1, Lorraine Maze dit Mieusement1, Nicholas Waglechner2, Robert Kozak2, Jerome Leis3

1Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Shared Hospital Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

18:15 – 18:30  – Transition Break to SJCC

18:30 – 20:00

Welcome and Recognition Reception

You are warmly invited to the 2026 Annual Conference Welcome and Recognition Reception, an opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends, celebrate achievements, and officially kick off the conference. Join members of the planning committees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and fellow delegates in a relaxed and informal setting. Enjoy light refreshments while spending time in the exhibit hall and engaging with colleagues. Take time to reconnect, make new connections, and capture the moment at the photo booth, available for official award recipient photos, group shots, and casual photo fun throughout the evening. Let’s celebrate the start of a memorable conference experience together.

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Conference Program

Thursday, April 30

07:00 – 18:00

Speaker Ready Room

Room: Placentia Bay, Delta

07:00 – 18:00

Internet Café

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 18:30

Conference Registration

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 08:30

AMMI Canada Phage Therapy Meeting

Room:   Brownsdale, Delta

07:00 – 08:30

CACMID AGM

Room: Victoria, SJCC

08:45 – 10:15

Welcome, Awards and Plenary

Once Eliminated, Now Spreading: Measles Viewed from the Front Lines

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderators:

Earl Rubin (QC)
Nisha Thampi (ON)

Speakers:

Catalina Friesen (ON)
Carly Simpson (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Outline the evolution of Canada’s largest post-elimination measles outbreak
  • Describe how a Canadian community faced the outbreak
  • Discuss successful interventions that built trust and confidence in health providers
  • Review current epidemiology around the world and see if it ties to vaccine hesitancy

10:00 – 18:00

Dr. Bugs Escape Room

Last group entrance 17:30

Room: Pippy, SJCC

10:15 – 10:45

Exhibit Hall Open: Break in Exhibit Hall

Room: Bowring Ballroom, SJCC

10:45 – 11:45

Impact and Evaluation of Seasonal Immunization Programs for Respiratory Viruses

(Co-developed learning activity with Sanofi)

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderator:

Earl Rubin (QC)

Speakers:

Alon Vaisman (ON)
Jesse Papenburg (QC)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Examine the populational impact of seasonal immunization programs in the healthy and vulnerable population (RSV, Influenza and COVID) in preventing public health burden and explore variations seen across Canada and internationally
  • Identify key factors that affect the overall population level impact of seasonal immunization programs
  • Discuss innovative study methodologies or systems that may help to better evaluate the impact of seasonal immunization programs through multiple outcomes

11:45 – 13:45

Lunch in Exhibit Hall

Room: Bowring Ballroom, SJCC

12:45 – 13:45

Poster Presentations and Q & A

13:45 – 14:15  – Transition Break to Delta

14:15 – 15:45

Concurrent Sessions (C01 – C05)

Oral Presentations C: Student Competition

Room: Avalon A Ballroom, Delta

Real-time multiplexed PCR Followed by Amplicon Tiling and Next-Generation Sequencing for Accurate Resolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotypes

Nicole Paterson1, Samuel F Hatchette1, Ariela Polsky1, Peter Robertson1, Gregory R McCracken2, Allana Loder3, Zhenyu Cheng1, Jason J LeBlanc1,2,4

1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nova Scotia Health (NSH), Halifax, NS, Canada; 3National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 4Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Real- world experience of dalbavancin for treatment of serious injection-related infections (IRI) in people who inject drugs (PWID)

Emily Pritchard1, Emma K Reid2, Valerie Murphy2, Sarah Burgess2, Caitlin Sampson3, Paul Bonnar3,4, J Mariah Hughes3,4

1College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 2Department of Pharmacy, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada; 3Division of Infectious Diseases, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada; 4Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Late diagnosis of chronic Hepatitis B and associated risk factors in Quebec: A population-based cohort analysis

Shirin Tabrizi1, Hamed Ghanati2, Maria Spagnulo2, Christel Renoux2,3, Janie Coulomb4, Beate Sander5,6,7, William Wong6,7,8, Jordan Feld9,10,11, Naveed Janjua12,13, Christina Greenaway2,3,14

1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 4Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 5Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment (THETA) Collaborative, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 7ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada; 8School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada; 9Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 10Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 11University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 12BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 13School of Population Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 14Division of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada

Development and validation of ChatData–Microbiology: an Automated Antibiogram Platform for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance

Yerin R Lee1,2, Camilo Sanchez2, Heping Liu2, Aanal Patel2, Sam Mihuc1,2, Susan M Poutanen1,2,3,4

1Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Microbiology, University Health Network and Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Department of Medicine, University Health Network and Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Leveraging the GEMINI-Pediatrics Platform to evaluate antibiotic use in hospitalized children across Ontario

Sophia Laird1, Farhana Islam2, Anne Löffler1, Surain Roberts1,3, Amol Verma1,3,4, Fahad Razak1,3,4, Julia Orkin2,3,5,6, Sanjay Mahant2,3,5,6, Peter J Gill2,3,4,5

1Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael’s Hospital, ON, Canada; 2Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, ON, Canada; 3Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; 5Division of Paediatric Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, ON, Canada; 6Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, ON, Canada

Oral Presentations D (D01 – D05)

Room: Avalon B Ballroom, Delta

Mathematical modelling of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) transmission and control to inform provincial HCV elimination

Laura Bruce, Amy Hurford, Peter Daley

Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada

Detection and isolation of Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) from an Outbreak in a Canadian Province

Byron Berenger1,2,3, Linda Chui4,5, Matthew A Croxen4,5,6,7, Matthew Diggle4,5,6, Tanis C Dingle1,2, Thomas Griener2,3, Tarah Lynch1,2, Brendon D Parsons4,5,7, Graham Tipples4,5,6,8

1Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 3Microbiology, Diagnostic and Scientific Centre, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB, Canada; 4Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 5Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 6Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 7Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 8Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Malaria in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients in Canada: A Retrospective Review from 2014 to 2023

Geraldine Huynh1, Rohini Datta2, Jason Brophy3, Jeannette Comeau4, Andrea Conroy5, Devika Dixit6, Michael T Hawkes7, Sandra Isabel8, Joan Robinson1, Anael Tessier-Gagnon8, Joseph Vayalumkal6, Thomas Armstrong1, Jennifer Bowes3, Shenna Dunn9, Laura Erdman9, Elodie Gemme10, Charlotte Gubany11, Sameer Kassim10, Carsten Krueger6, Bonita E Lee1, Alison Lopez12, Victoria Mailhot8, Gunjan Mhapankar3, Fatema Mohamed2, Myriam Perkins8, Jeffrey Pernica9, Marina Salvadori11, Rhea Thomas9, Hanna Van Dierdonck9, Elizabeth Zhang1, Kescha Kazmi2, Shaun Morris2

1University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 2University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 4Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 5Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, 6University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 7University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 8Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada; 9McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 10University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 11McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 12Western University, London, ON, Canada

Evaluating Tuberculosis exposure thresholds and transmission in the inpatient setting

Sophie Asselstine1, Kelsey Houston1, Kimberly Gibbens1, Shaindel Kestenberg1, Elizabeth Rea2, Alon Vaisman1

1University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Toronto Public Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

Building towards a translational antimicrobial resistance database from a high-quality, curated bioinformatics resource with the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database

Brian P Alcock1,2,3, Andrew G McArthur1,2,3

1MG DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 2David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 3Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Rapid Fire Presentations C (RFC001 – RFC010)

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Detection of CMV, EBV, and HHV6 in pooled nasopharyngeal specimens (NPS) from pediatric patients with upper respiratory tract infections

Zayn Brar1,2, Zareen Fatima1, Kelly Waters2, Jodi Gilchrist1,2, Sarah Marttala2, Doris Williams2, Marek Smieja1,2,3, Mohammed Rubayet Hasan1,2,3

1McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 2Research Institute of St, Joe’s Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 3Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Clinical impact and diagnostic stewardship of 16S rRNA gene PCR and sequencing for culture-negative infections in a large Canadian hospital system

Pearl Abdulkadir1, D Brody Duncan1,2

1Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 2Department of Microbiology, Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Antibiotics don’t take weekends off: Fewer broad-spectrum antibiotic discontinuations on Saturdays and Sundays

Emma CL Finlayson-Trick1, Salomeh Shajari2, Shaqil Peermohamed2,3

1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2ASPIRES (Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme: Innovation, Research, Education, and Safety), Patient Quality and Safety, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Epidemiologic and Genomic Surveillance of Human Coronavirus OC43 in Ontario, Canada; identifies variability in the Spike protein, limiting the potential for cross-protective immunity,

Kyla Tozer1, Henry Wong1,2, Calvin Sjaarda1,2, Jad Tirani1, Maedah Naghibosadat3, Danielle Brabant-Kirwan4, Ramzi Fattouh5,6, Robert Kozak3,7, Prameet M Sheth1,2

1Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada; 2Division of Microbiology, Kingston Health Sciences Center, Kingston, ON, Canada; 3Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Biological Sciences Platform, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Division of Microbiology, Health Sciences North, Sudbury, ON, Canada; 5St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 7Shared Hospital Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada

Prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection among immunosuppressed patients at a tertiary care centre in Canada: a cross-sectional screening study

Clare Fogarty1,2, Curtis Quan3, Romina Gheorghe2, Olena Zotova2, Faheel Naeem2, Lyne Cedilotte2,4, Michael Libman1,2,4, Cedric Yansouni1,2,4, Momar Ndao1,5, Sapha Barkati1,2,4

1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 4JD MacLean Centre for Tropical & Geographic Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 5National Reference Centre for Parasitology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada

Assessment of the environmental impact of inappropriate intravenous use of highly bioavailable antibiotics using a calculated carbon footprint

Curtis Quan1, Danah Alsharah2, Deana Sabuda3, Irina Rajakumar3

1Department of Medicine, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada; 3Pharmacy Services, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada

Rapid Molecular and Antimicrobial Resistance Detection of Mycoplasma genitalium

Idowu B Olawoye1, Maegen Taylor1, Emmanuel A Ayeni1, Evan Stewart1, Ashlyn J Kim1, Jennifer L Guthrie1,2

1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada; 2Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada

A Proactive Quality Assurance Framework for Monitoring Primer-Template Complementarity in Evolving Respiratory Viruses

Kumudhavalli Kavanoor Sridhar1, Manija Rahimi2, Patryk Aftanas2, Nicholas Waglechner2, Finlay Maguire2, Tanvir Pathan2, Robert A, Kozak1,2,3, Xena X, Li1,2,4, Kevin Katz1,2,4, Samira Mubareka1,2, Christie Vermeiren1,2

1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Shared Hospital Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Infection Prevention and Control, North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

Contrasting virulome, resistome and bacteriocin profiles in shiga toxin-producing E, coli circulating in Quebec

Selena Landry1,2, Isabelle Bernaquez1,2, Dihya Baloul1, Charles Dozois3, Sadjia Bekal1,2

1Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, QC, Canada; 2Microbiology, infectiology and immunology department of University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, QC, Canada; 3Institut National de la recherche scientifique, Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada

Rapid Fire Presentations D (RFD001 – RDF010)

Room: Harbourview Ballroom, Delta

Retrospective analysis of fecal microbiota, live (RBL) in preventing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection: Early real-world use in Canadian patients

Theodore S Steiner1, Michael Silverman2, Issa E, Ephtimios3, Tracey Jason4, Susan N Elliott4, Jennifer Kamien4

1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2Western University, London, ON, Canada; 3Interior Health Authority and, Kelowna General Hospital, Kelowna, BC, Canada; 4Ferring Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada

Strengthening Public Health and Clinical Responses to Shiga Toxin-Producing E, coli Infections by Improving Isolation and Shiga Toxin 1 and 2 Detections from Nucleic Acid Test-Positive Feces

Byron M Berenger1,2,3, Thomas Griener2,3, Linda Chui4,5

1Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 3Microbiology, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB, Canada; 4Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 5Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Hospital characteristics associated with healthcare-associated viral respiratory infection rates in a Canadian acute care network

Erin McGill1, Diane Lee1, Caroline Quach2, Jerome Leis3, Mark Downing4, John Conly5, Jennifer Ellison6, John M Embil7, Bonita E Lee8, Yves Longtin9, Dominik Mertz10, Stephanie Smith8, Reena Titoria11, Olivia Varsaneux1, Joseph Vayalumkal5, Nisha Thampi12, Charles Frenette9

1Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 2University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 5University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; 6Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada; 7University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 8University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 9McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 10McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 11Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 12University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Genomic characterization of non-invasive isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes collected from 2023-2025

Heidi Li1, Nicholas Waglechner1, Angel Li2, Maxime Lefebvre2, Lee Goneau3, Ramzi Fattouh4, Aaron Campigotto5, Patryk Aftanas1, Kevin Katz1, Christie Vermeiren1, Irene Martin6, Alyssa Golden6, Finlay Maguire1,7, Allison McGeer2, Robert Kozak1

1Shared Hospital Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Microbiology, University Health Network/Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Dynacare Laboratory, Brampton, ON, Canada; 4St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 7Computer Science / Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Unlocking the Value of RSV Adult Vaccination with Adjuvanted RSVPreF3 Vaccine in Canada: a Return on Investment Analysis Using an Integrated Actuarial-Macroeconomic model
Eleftherios Zarkadoulas1, Joann Ban2, Robert Taglione2, Bruce Seet2,3
1GSK, Wavre, Belgium. 2GSK, Toronto, ON, Canada. 3Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Molecularization of dermatophyte testing from nail, skin scraping, and hair samples in a high-volume clinical microbiology laboratory

Barbara Chow1, Julie Carson1,2, Michael Groeschel1,2

1Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB, Canada; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

Intermittent carriage of antibiotic-resistant organisms and enteric pathogens among healthy fecal microbiota transplant donors

Connie TY Xie1, Kathleen Simms1,2, Golnoush Akhtari1, Ceylon Simon1, Shaista Anwer1, Bryn Hazlett1, Jordan Fruitman1,2, Melissa Kissoon1, Satyendar Singh3, Susy S Hota3,4, Susan M Poutanen1,4

1University Health Network/Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Microbiology, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Infection Prevention and Control Department, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Examining the impact of a risk-based approach to active surveillance and isolation for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus

Jessica Kociper, Alon Vaisman

University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacterales in Canada 2010-2024 – Data from the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP)

Laura Mataseje1, Erin McGill2, Yves Longtin3, CNISP CPO Working Group2

1National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 2Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 3Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada

Streamlining respiratory virus diagnostics: a workflow and performance comparison of cobas® respiratory flex versus a tiered laboratory‑developed automated testing algorithm

Andrew Giugno1, Shannon Schofield1, Hanh Tran1, Fatimah Almutawa1,2, Johan Delport1,2, Sameer Elsayed1,2, Jeffrey Fuller1,2, Ruchika Gupta1,2, Fatima Khalil-Clair1, Allie McBride1, Ana Cabrera1,2

1Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada; 2Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada

15:45 – 16:00  –  Break

16:00- 17:00

Concurrent Sessions

Redefining Care in Chronic Hepatitis B: 2025 HBV Guideline Updates and the Path to Functional Cure

(Co-developed learning activity with GSK Canada)

Room: Avalon A Ballroom, Delta
Moderator:
Lisa Barrett (NS)

Speaker:

Scott Fung (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Summarize key updates in Canadian and International guidelines for the management of CHB and their clinical significance
  • Apply updated guideline recommendations to optimize patient selection, monitoring, and treatment options in CHB
  • Evaluate the evolving concept of functional cure in CHB and its implications for clinical practice and laboratory assessment
  • Identify current challenges and future opportunities in the diagnosis and management of CHB within infectious diseases and medical microbiology practice

Diagnostic Challenges of Viral Respiratory Illness: Implications for Antibiotic Resistance

(Co-developed learning activity with Pfizer Canada)
Room: Avalon B Ballroom, Delta
Moderator:

Rob Kozak (ON)

Speakers:

Dominik Mertz (ON)
Nisha Thampi (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Evaluate the factors that contribute to uncertainty in the diagnosis of viral and bacterial respiratory infections
  • Explore uncertainties in the management of respiratory infections
  • Assess the impact of antibiotic overuse in viral respiratory infections on antimicrobial resistance trends

The Importance of Sexual Health Testing Access for All in Canada: Self-Collection for Cervical Cancer Screening in Quebec, the Rise of STIs, and the Importance of Testing

(Co-developed learning activity with Roche Diagnostics)

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Jodi Gilchrist (ON)

Speakers:

François Coutlée (QC)
Emy Philibert (QC)
Todd Hatchette (NS)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the performance and considerations of at home testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Evaluate the performance of dry-swab self-sampling for the detection of hrHPV in comparison with clinician-collected cervical samples as well as factors affecting sample stability

17:00 – 17:15  –  Break

17:15 – 18:15

Concurrent Sessions

MasterClass
Evidence-based Medicine Practice – It’s Time for Laboratory Medicine to Come Onboard

Room: Avalon A Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Ramzi Fattouh (ON)

Speaker:

Marek Smieja (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to: 

  • Consider pearls and pitfalls in assessing diagnostic test accuracy in microbiology
  • Understand how evidence-based medicine practice guidelines are created
  • Examine how microbiology guidelines affect patient outcomes and utilization

MasterClass
Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections

Room: Avalon B Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Peter Daley (NL)

Speaker:

Todd Lee (QC)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Review recent evidence for therapy of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia including combination therapy with an emphasis on recent randomized clinical trials
  • Explore exciting upcoming studies, new hypotheses to be tested, and their potential implications for future clinical practice 
  • Compare current evidence for oral and long-acting injectable options for the treatment of S. aureus bacteremia

17:15 – 17:45

Lightning Learning

Candidozyma auris in Canada – it’s here!

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Philippe Dufresne (QC)

Speaker:

Marthe Charles (BC)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the clinical importance of Candidozyma auris, including its global and North American epidemiology, new taxonomic classification, and the implications for patient outcomes and public health
  • Apply current best practices for diagnosis, laboratory detection, outbreak management, and infection prevention and control (IPAC), incorporating lessons learned from the 2019 Vancouver outbreak, new Canadian guidelines, and findings from the CNISP point-prevalence study

17:45 – 17:50  –  Break

17:50 – 18:20

Lightning Learning

Next Generation Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing – new promise, new challenges

Room: Avalon C and D Ballroom, Delta

Moderator:

Philippe Lagacé-Wiens (MB)

Speaker:

Cédric Yansouni (QC)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Review the challenges seen with conventional antibiotic susceptibility testing, including those for novel antibiotics in Canada
  • Understand the landscape and pipeline of next-generation antimicrobial susceptibility testing technologies
  • Recognize specific challenges facing direct-from-specimen technologies for the accuracy and interpretation of results

19:00 – 20:00

JAMMI Editorial Board Meeting

Room: Bonnavista Bay, Delta

19:00 – 21:00

AMMI Canada Paediatric Committee and PICNIC Meeting

Room: Brownsdale, Delta

19:00 – 21:00

Unaccredited Learning Activities

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Next day

Conference Program

Friday, May 1

06:30 – 08:30

CFID Bug Run

Room: Main Lobby, Delta

07:00 – 13:00

Speaker Ready Room

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 13:00

Internet Café

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 15:00

Conference Registration

Room: Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

07:00 – 08:30

CCM AGM

Room: Victoria, SJCC

08:45 – 10:00

Student Awards and Case Report Symposium

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderators:

Susan Poutanen (ON)
Rob Kozak (ON)
Philippe Lagacé-Wiens (MB)

Let’s see if the audience is smarter and faster than AI. Same case, same data… who gets there first?

Titles of case reports have been excluded from the program to avoid hinting at or revealing the case.

CR01: Bonnie Lu, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton ON, Canada

CR02: Kieffer Ferraris, Department of Pediatrics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

CR03: Sabrina Yeung, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

CR04: Zhan Shi, Division of Diagnostic & Applied Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Univetsity of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

10:00 – 10:15  –  Break

Room:   Bannerman Ballroom Foyer, SJCC

10:15 – 11:15

Concurrent Sessions

State of the Art (START) Debate

Metagenomics at War – Revolution or Castle in the Sky?

Be it resolved: The Petri Dish Dynasty is over; Clinical metagenomics must be a first-line test for the critically ill and other high-risk patients

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderators:

Vanessa Tran (ON)
Jessica Forbes (ON)

Speakers:

Patrick Tang (BC)
Rubayet Hasan (ON)

The Conflict

Clinical microbiology is at a breaking point. On one side, revolutionaries promise to modernize diagnostics and save the “unexplained” patient. On the other, laboratory veterans warn of a “Castle in the Sky” – a high-tech illusion built on noise, debt, and false hope.

 

Join Dr. Patrick Tang and Dr. Rubayet Hasan as they dismantle their own research to find the truth.

 

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Contrast the revolutionary potential of clinical metagenomics against well-established culture-based methods for the diagnosis of infectious diseases
  • Justify the deployment of metagenomics as a first-line diagnostic tool
  • Construct a sustainable diagnostic stewardship algorithm that incorporate metagenomics

Workshop

Hands-on Primer in Wound Care

Room:   Victoria, SJCC

Moderator:

Jodi Gilchrist (ON)

Speakers:

David Croitoru (ON)
Najmeh Soltaninejad (ON)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Understand the differences in wound care dressings and therapeutics
  • Interpret complex wound culture and molecular results
  • Apply biofilm and genomics into treatment plans
  • Integrate IPAC principles into wound management

11:15 – 12:45

Lunch and Poster Presentations and Q and A

Room: Bowring Ballroom, SJCC

12:45 – 14:45

Plenary

What’s Hot in Infectious Diseases, Antibiotic Stewardship/ Infection Prevention and Control, and Paediatrics

(Co-developed learning activity with Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID))

Room: Bannerman Ballroom, SJCC

Moderator:

Will Connors (BC)

Speakers:

Samuel Bourassa-Blanchette (NL)
Jeannette Comeau (NS)
Peter Daley (NL)

At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe recent findings that impact the practice of adult infectious disease and IPAC
  • Describe recent findings that impact the practice of paediatric infectious disease
  • Describe recent findings that impact the practice antimicrobial stewardship

14:45 – 15:00

Closing Remarks

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