Pascal Michel

Public Health Agency of Canada | PHAC · Office of the Chief Science Officer

Identified in December 2019 in China, the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Pandemics share features that increase fear. While some fear can stimulate preventive health behaviors, extreme fear can lead to adverse psychological and behavioral response. The media play a major rol...

In North America, different strains of the Lyme disease-causing bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto cluster into phylogenetic groups that are associated with different levels of pathogenicity and, for some, specific rodent reservoir hosts. Here we explore whether landscape connectivity, by impacting host dispersal, influences B. burgdorfer...

Jamestown Canyon and snowshoe hare viruses are two emerging human pathogens associated with cases of neuroinvasive disease in North America. This study aimed to identify environmental and individual risk factors for seropositivity to these arboviruses in humans and pet dogs from Québec, Canada, 2012–2014. In humans, areas with moderate densities of...

The emergence of the vector Ixodes scapularis in Ontario, Canada poses a significant public health risk. Both passive and active surveillance approaches have been employed by public health professionals (i.e., government employees) to monitor for the range expansion of this tick. Field surveillance using drag sampling for questing ticks is a recogn...

Tick dragging results. The abundance of each life stage of I. scapularis collected via tick dragging during each visit to Turkey Point Provincial Park and Murphy’s Point Provincial Park from May to October 2014. (DOCX)

Application of indicator. The scores based on the application of the indicator for sites of unknown status sampled during 2014–2015 and again in 2016 (NZ = non-zero, L = low, M = medium, H = high). (DOCX)

The invasion of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis into Ontario, Canada poses a significant risk to public health because it is a vector for numerous pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Baseline field sampling in 2014 and 2015 detected I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi at sites across so...

Prioritizing resources for optimal responses to an ever growing list of existing and emerging infectious diseases represents an important challenge to public health. In the context of climate change, there is increasing anticipated variability in the occurrence of infectious diseases, notably climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases. An essential st...

Criteria trace summary. (DOCX)

Individual stakeholder weights for all criteria ordered by importance for the research intervention domain. (DOCX)

Comparison of the I. scapularis site status over two years of field sampling with the predicted year to establishment based on Leighton et al. (2012) at 33 sites in Ontario. (DOCX)

Supporting references used to assess disease scores for the pilot prioritization. (DOCX)

The univariable analysis of site-level ecological variables on the late establishment of I. scapularis at 33 sites sampled in Ontario during the spring, summer and fall of 2014 or 2015 and again in 2016 based on logistic regression or exact logistic regression (*). (DOCX)

Individual stakeholder weights for all criteria ordered by importance for the surveillance intervention domain. (DOCX)

Weight stability interval sensitivity analysis for all stakeholders for the prevention & control domain. (DOCX)

Individual stakeholder weights for all criteria ordered by importance for the prevention and control intervention domain. (DOCX)

Weight stability interval sensitivity analysis for all stakeholders for the surveillance domain. (DOCX)

Periodic outbreaks of West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and to a lesser extent, California serogroup viruses (CSGV), have been reported in parts of Canada in the last decade. This study was designed to provide a broad assessment of arboviral activity in Quebec, Canada, by conducting serological surveys for these arbovi...

The identification of specific environments sustaining emerging arbovirus amplification and transmission to humans is a key component of public health intervention planning. This study aimed at identifying environmental factors associated with West Nile virus (WNV) infections in southern Quebec, Canada, by modelling and jointly interpreting aggrega...

In northeastern North America, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the vector of numerous tick-borne pathogens, including the agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi senso stricto. Since 1990, there has been a rapid spread of I. scapularis northward into the province of Ontario, Canada. Climate change has been implicated as one of the d...

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe emerging vector-borne disease affecting human and animal populations in the northeastern United States where it is endemic. Key knowledge gaps remain about the epidemiology of EEE virus (EEEV) in areas where its emergence has more recently been reported. In Eastern Canada, viral activity has be...

The recent emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America highlights vulnerability to climate sensitive diseases and stresses the importance of preventive efforts to reduce their public health impact. Effective prevention involves reducing environmental risk of exposure and increasing adoption of preventive behaviours, both of which depend on...

Additional individual-level protection strategy performance profiles. (TIF)

Regional-level management intervention profiles (interventions 18–23). (TIF)

Matrix of evaluation scores for the interventions in the Quebec WNV management model. (DOCX)

References used in the assessment of management interventions. (DOCX)

Regional-level management intervention profiles (interventions 11–16). (TIF)

Stakeholder weighting results by criteria and category for the Scenarios 1& 2 (low risk transmission). (DOCX)

Stakeholder weighting results by criteria and category for the Scenarios 3& 4 (medium risk transmission). (DOCX)

Stakeholder weighting results by criteria and category for the Scenarios 5& 6 (high risk transmission). (DOCX)

Measurement scales used to score interventions in the model. (DOCX)

Background The indigenous Batwa of southwestern Uganda are among the most highly impoverished populations in Uganda, yet there is negligible research on the prevalence of malaria in this population. Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasitaemia prevalence was estimated in an indigenous Batwa and a non-indigenous neighbouring population, and an explora...

Contact details of the presenting author: cecile.aenishaenslin@umontreal.ca, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 7C6 Background: The recent emergence of Lyme disease in Quebec, Canada, is a good example of a complex health issue. Preventive interventions can have environmental, social and economic impacts and decision-making requires a syste...

The effects of climate change on infectious diseases are an important global health concern and necessitate decisions for allocation of resources. Economic tools have been used previously; however, how prioritization results might differ when done using broader considerations identified by local stakeholders has yet to be assessed. A multicriteria...

Different genotypes of the agent of Lyme disease in North America, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, show varying degrees of pathogenicity in humans. This variation in pathogenicity correlates with phylogeny and we have hypothesized that the different phylogenetic lineages in North America reflect adaptation to different host species. In this stu...

Supplementary Figures. These comprise an unrooted Bayesian phylogenetic tree and a minimum spanning tree of the MLST STs. (DOCX)

Supplementary Tables. Data and statistical analyses tables. Tables of the raw data used for the first time in the study, and of statistical analysis results. (DOCX)

Over the past two decades, the northward spread of Ixodes scapularis across Ontario, Canada, has accelerated and the risk of Lyme disease has increased. Active surveillance is a recognized and effective method for detecting reproducing populations of I. scapularis. In this study, we conducted field sampling consistent with an active surveillance ap...

Background Lyme disease control strategies may include tick control interventions in high risk areas. Public authorities may be interested to assess how these types of interventions are perceived by the public which may then impact their acceptability. The aims of this paper are to compare socio-cognitive factors associated with high acceptability...

Background: Lyme disease (LD) is a vector-borne disease that is endemic in many temperate countries, including Switzerland, and is currently emerging in Canada. This study compares the importance of knowledge, exposure and risk perception for the adoption of individual preventive measures, within and between two different populations, one that has...

Pour les êtres humains comme pour les animaux, l’environnement c’est tout ce qui nous entoure, mais c’est aussi les contacts directs avec d’autres animaux qui peuvent être porteurs de maladies. Saviez-vous que plus de 60% des maladies infectieuses affectant les humains sont d’origine zoonotique, où l’animal joue un rôle important dans leur transmis...

Designing preventive programs relevant to vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease (LD) can be complex given the need to include multiple issues and perspectives into prioritizing public health actions. A multi-criteria decision aid (MCDA) model was previously used to rank interventions for LD prevention in Quebec, Canada, where the disease is em...

In North America, Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by the spirochaete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), which is maintained by wildlife. Tick vectors and bacteria are currently spreading into Canada and causing increasing numbers of cases of LD in humans and raising a pressing need for public health responses. Th...

Integrated vector management (IVM) is recommended as a sustainable approach to malaria control. IVM consists of combining vector control methods based on scientific evidence to maximize efficacy and cost-effectiveness while minimizing negative impacts, such as insecticide resistance and environmental damage. Zooprophylaxis has been identified as a...

Space science and satellite technologies hold untapped potential for public health, according to a new expert group that will deliver its proposals to the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month. Pascal Michel talks to Fiona Fleck.

Public health risks related to the microbial contamination of recreational waters are increased by global environmental change. Intensification of agriculture, urban sprawl, and climate change are some of the changes which can lead to favorable conditions for the emergence of waterborne diseases. Earth observation (EO) images have several advantage...

APPLICATIONS OF SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH Meeting organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) 15-16 June, Meeting Room C, WHO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland

In collaboration with the Canadian Space Agencies

Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne emerging disease in Canada that has been endemic in many temperate countries for decades. Currently, one of the main approaches for LD prevention is the promotion of individual-level preventive behaviors against ticks. Health behaviors are influenced by individual and social factors, one important of which is risk...

Background: Fecal contamination of recreational waters may lead to gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, dermatitis and ear infections. In addition to directly testing waters for contamination, the World Health Organisation also recommends the assessment of environmental factors known to influence water quality as part of the monitoring efforts....

Background: Fecal contamination of recreational waters may lead to gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, dermatitis and ear infections. In addition to directly testing waters for contamination, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the assessment of environmental factors known to influence water quality as part of monitoring efforts. M...

SUMMARY We studied the association between drinking water, agriculture and sporadic human campylobacteriosis in one region of British Columbia (BC), Canada. We compared 2992 cases of campylobacteriosis to 4816 cases of other reportable enteric diseases in 2005-2009 using multivariate regression. Cases were geocoded and assigned drinking water sourc...

SUMMARY This study investigated the extent to which proximity to cattle and weather events in Alberta predispose human populations to E. coli O157 disease. Cases of human E. coli O157 infection in Alberta between 2004 and 2011 were obtained from the province's Communicable Disease Reporting System and Discharge Abstract Database. Regression models...

In spatial epidemiology, the choice of an appropriate geographical unit of analysis is a key decision that will influence most aspects of the study. In this study, we proposed and applied a set of measurable criteria applicable for orienting the choice of geographical unit. Nine criteria were selected, covering many aspects such as biological relev...

Childhood nonviral gastroenteritis is a priority for various public health authorities. Given that waterborne transmission is sometimes incriminated during investigation of gastroenteritis outbreaks, the authors hypothesized that watershed characteristics may influence the occurrence of this disease and could contribute additional insights for bett...

Zoonoses are a growing international threat interacting at the human-animal-environment interface and call for transdisciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches in order to achieve effective disease management. The recent emergence of Lyme disease in Quebec, Canada is a good example of a complex health issue for which the public health sector must fi...

Abstract Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a highly pathogenic arbovirus that infects humans, horses, and other animals. There has been a significant increase in EEEV activity in southeastern Canada since 2008. Few data are available regarding nonlethal EEEV infections in mammals, and consequently the distribution and pathogenicity spectr...

Diverse fecal and nonfecal bacterial contamination and nutrient sources (e.g. agriculture, human activities and wildlife) represent a considerable non-point source load entering natural recreational waters which may adversely affect water quality. Monitoring of natural recreational water microbial quality is most often based mainly on testing a set...

This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiology of severe gastroenteritis in children living in Québec rural areas with intensive livestock activities. From September 2005 through June 2007, 165 cases of gastroenteritis in children aged from 6 months to 5 years, hospitalized or notified to the public health department were enrolled, and 326 el...

Despite its extensive use, the term "Surveillance" often takes on various meanings in the scientific literature pertinent to public health and animal health. A critical appraisal of this literature also reveals ambiguities relating to the scope and necessary structural components underpinning the surveillance process. The authors hypothesized that...

Background Campylobacter is a common cause of bacterial gastro-enteritis characterized by multiple environmental sources and transmission pathways. Ecological studies can be used to reveal important regional characteristics linked to campylobacteriosis risk, but their results can be influenced by the choice of geographical units of analysis. This s...

Human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria may result in the transfer of resistance to commensal or pathogenic microbes present in the gastrointestinal tract, which may lead to severe health consequences and difficulties in treatment of future bacterial infections. It was hypothesized that the recreational waters from beaches represent a so...

Contaminated surface water poses a risk to human populations and is a challenge for public health authorities. Climatic change, intensification of agriculture, urban development of coastal areas, and declining freshwater sources may contribute significantly to the risk of surface water contamination and increase incidence of waterborne diseases. Mo...

The complex epidemiology of vector-borne diseases creates significant challenges in the design and delivery of prevention and control strategies, especially in light of rapid social and environmental changes. Spatial models for predicting disease risk based on environmental factors such as climate and landscape have been developed for a number of i...

Fecal contamination of recreational waters is a complex public health and environmental issue involving multiple possible sources and contributing factors. Agricultural and animal production activities represent one such source of contamination from which various microorganisms transmissible to humans can be found. This study used regression models...

Exposure to microorganisms resistant to antimicrobials may constitute a health risk to human populations. It is believed that one route of exposure occurs when people engage in recreational activities in water contaminated with these microorganisms. The main objective of this study was to explore population-level and environmental determinants spec...

Epidemics often result in organizational, policy and technical changes within a country. In 1999, an epidemic of campylobacteriosis was reported in Iceland. The recent availability of fresh poultry products in the marketplace was suggested as the source of infection. This paper reports on the context of the epidemic, reviews interventions implement...

Campylobacteriosis is a leading cause of acute bacterial gastroenteritis. An ecological study was undertaken to explore the association between environmental characteristics and incidence of campylobacteriosis in relation to four age groups and two seasonal periods. A multi-level Poisson regression model was used for modelling at the municipal leve...

Proxy dates for estimating date of onset.Availability of proxy dates for estimating the date of onset and median interval between date of onset and proxy dates among reported cases of campylobacteriosis, by health regions, Quebec, 1996-2006 (Table).