Browsing by Author "Kellner, James"

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    Alberta Childhood COVID-19 Cohort (AB3C) Aim 3: Longitudinal Sero-Epidemiology Study First Interim Report January 31, 2021
    (2021-01-31) Kellner, James
    The AB3C study has three primary aims: 1. Establish prospective cohort study of all children in Alberta tested for or diagnosed with confirmed or probable COVID-19 infection. (Funded by Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)) 2. Conduct a detailed multiomic precision-medicine evaluation of some children in Alberta with confirmed or probable COVID-19 infection, as well as some healthy controls. (Funded by Genome Alberta) 3. Evaluation of the adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 virus in children will be conducted measuring the antibody response against COVID-19 in children with and without clinically apparent confirmed or probable COVID-19 infection in a longitudinal sero-epidemiology study over two years. (Funded by Alberta Health and ACHRI) The AB3C study has received research ethics and operational approval from the University of Calgary’s and Alberta Health Services’ Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (CHREB). This report describes the results of the enrolment and first of four visits for Aim 3.
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    Barriers, supports, and effective interventions for uptake of human papillomavirus- and other vaccines within global and Canadian Indigenous peoples: a systematic review protocol
    (2018-03-02) Mrklas, Kelly J; MacDonald, Shannon; Shea-Budgell, Melissa A; Bedingfield, Nancy; Ganshorn, Heather; Glaze, Sarah; Bill, Lea; Healy, Bonnie; Healy, Chyloe; Guichon, Juliet; Colquhoun, Amy; Bell, Christopher; Richardson, Ruth; Henderson, Rita; Kellner, James; Barnabe, Cheryl; Bednarczyk, Robert A; Letendre, Angeline; Nelson, Gregg S
    Abstract Background Despite the existence of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines with demonstrated safety and effectiveness and funded HPV vaccination programs, coverage rates are persistently lower and cervical cancer burden higher among Canadian Indigenous peoples. Barriers and supports to HPV vaccination in Indigenous peoples have not been systematically documented, nor have interventions to increase uptake in this population. This protocol aims to appraise the literature in Canadian and global Indigenous peoples, relating to documented barriers and supports to vaccination and interventions to increase acceptability/uptake or reduce hesitancy of vaccination. Although HPV vaccination is the primary focus, we anticipate only a small number of relevant studies to emerge from the search and will, therefore, employ a broad search strategy to capture literature related to both HPV vaccination and vaccination in general in global Indigenous peoples. Methods Eligible studies will include global Indigenous peoples and discuss barriers or supports and/or interventions to improve uptake or to reduce hesitancy, for the HPV vaccine and/or other vaccines. Primary outcomes are documented barriers or supports or interventions. All study designs meeting inclusion criteria will be considered, without restricting by language, location, or data type. We will use an a priori search strategy, comprised of key words and controlled vocabulary terms, developed in consultation with an academic librarian, and reviewed by a second academic librarian using the PRESS checklist. We will search several electronic databases from date of inception, without restrictions. A pre-defined group of global Indigenous websites will be reviewed for relevant gray literature. Bibliographic searches will be conducted for all included studies to identify relevant reviews. Data analysis will include an inductive, qualitative, thematic synthesis and a quantitative analysis of measured barriers and supports, as well as a descriptive synthesis and quantitative summary of measures for interventions. Discussion To our knowledge, this study will contribute the first systematic review of documented barriers, supports, and interventions for vaccination in general and for HPV vaccination. The results of this study are expected to inform future research, policies, programs, and community-driven initiatives to enhance acceptability and uptake of HPV vaccination among Indigenous peoples. Systematic review registration PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42017048844
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    Invasive Pneumococcal Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Calgary, Canada
    (2022-06-20) Ricketson, Leah; Kellner, James; CASPER Investigators
    Similar to other regions and countries, there was a dramatic decline in the incidence of IPD and other contagious infectious diseases in Calgary after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial decline in overall IPD incidence (IRR 0.22 in 2nd quarter of 2020 vs average for 2011-19) was particularly dramatic and was sustained until mid-2021 in adults and the end of 2021 in children. Presumably, the reduction was related to society-side measures implemented to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with such measures also reducing the transmission of other contagious diseases including pneumococcus and influenza. These measures were highest in 2020 and gradually reduced through 2021. In addition, IPD uncommonly occurs as a complication of SARS-CoV-2 infections, unlike other viruses such as influenza and RSV, where secondary pneumococcal infections occur readily. The higher rebound in PCV13 serotype IPD in adults in 2021 (compared with non-PCV13 serotype IPD) of interest. Childhood PCV programs have demonstrated a strong herd-protection effect to prevent vaccine-serotype IPD in adults. There was a significant decline in routine childhood vaccination rates in Alberta in 2020 (https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/1/e055968). There may be an association between such declines and a reduction in the level of herd protection that influences vaccine-serotype IPD in adults.
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    Serotype Groups & Antibiotic Resistance in Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD) Isolates & Lower Respiratory Infection (LRTI) Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae: A CASPER Study
    (2022-06-14) Ricketson, Leah; Lemay, Julie-Anne; Kellner, James; CASPER Investigators
    A considerably higher proportion of LRTI isolates have STs that are not included in current vaccines, compared with IPD isolates. The proportion of IPD and LRTI isolates with PCV13 STs has declined during the PCV13 era. If PCV15 and/or PCV20 are implemented, a higher proportion of IPD and LRTI cases will be covered however the proportion of LRTI isolates covered will be a minority of all cases. Pneumococcal resistance to penicillin has generally declined or remained low overall for many years in both IPD and LRTI isolates at all ages in our population, with the exception of serotype 19A, where resistance increased particularly in LRTI isolates and in children (data not shown). Multidrug resistance (MDR) is most common in serotype 19A and in LRTI isolates and is primarily due to resistance to three or more of erythromycin, clindamycin, TMP/SMX, cefuroxime and tetracycline.