Health IQ: Dangerous bacteria on the rise

Invasive meningococcal disease on the rise

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases are rising in some Canadian provinces, prompting health officials to stress the importance of vaccination.

Toronto Public Health has reported 13 cases since the start of 2024, with two fatalities, surpassing annual totals since 2002. Manitoba has also noted a spike since December 2023, and Kingston, Ont., saw a rise in bacterial infections in February.

Globally, countries like the United States are experiencing similar increases, raising concerns about outbreaks during travel and large gatherings.

IMD is a rare but serious bacterial disease with a relatively high case fatality rate and significant long-term effects, including limb amputations and permanent central nervous system injuries, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

“Meningococcal is a potentially very dangerous bacteria,” warned Dr. Ronald Gold, senior medical adviser of the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada.

“If you get it in your throat and you don’t have any immunity to it, it can invade into the bloodstream. And from the blood, it is the most severe form of disease because it could go from somebody being perfectly normal to being dead within 24 hours. So it’s potentially one of the fastest fatal bacterial infections,” he added.

IMD symptoms, including sudden fever, intense headache, vomiting and a distinctive rash, require urgent medical attention. But vaccines are available to protect against five types of meningococcal bacteria (A, B, C, Y, and W).

Read more to find out which vaccines cover specific meningococcal bacteria and the recommended timing for each shot.

Health Canada pulls unauthorized nicotine pouches

Several unauthorized flavoured nicotine pouches have been recalled across Canada.

Health Canada issued the recall June 12 for all lots of eight types of Zyn nicotine pouches. The flavours include apple mint, bellini, black cherry, citrus, cool mint, espresso, original and spearmint. The pouches had 1.5 or three milligrams of nicotine in them.

Health Canada said these affected products were sold without market authorization.

It urged consumers to verify if they had the recalled products and consult a health-care provider before stopping its use for any health concerns.

Philip Morris International, which manufactures Zyn products, said it does not sell in Canada and applauds Health Canada for taking action.

“The products at issue are being sold by unauthorized parties,” said a spokesperson for PMI’s Canadian affiliate Rothmans Benson & Hedges, in a statement to Global News.

The introduction of nicotine pouches to the Canadian market has raised concerns among health experts and the federal government. Experts say these products are appealing to children, who face the risk of becoming addicted to nicotine.

Read more about the recall and warnings about nicotine pouches here.

— THE TOPIC —

Bird flu and petting zoos. Is it safe?

— WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING —

With summer approaching, many Canadians may want to flock to petting zoos and farms. But with recent bird flu outbreaks, a question lingers: is it safe to cuddle those cute goats, fluffy chickens and gentle cows?

The H5N1 avian influenza strain is a zoonotic disease that can jump from animals to humans, which raises concerns about how these summer farm activities might impact public health.

“I’m not going to say we should avoid going to petting zoos or zoos in general, but I would say try to minimize exposure in any shape or form that you can,” said Shayan Sharif, a professor and associate dean with the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph.

Although the virus has shown up in cattle, goats and humans in the United States, here in Canada, it has not yet been detected in any livestock or human populations.

Because of this, Sharif said the risk of human infection from bird flu remains low.

But people should still exercise caution when around zoos, farms or even if they want to try out goat yoga, he said. This is because cattle and chickens can carry various microbes without showing any signs of illness. These microbes can still be quite pathogenic and potentially lead to illness.

“So personally, I wouldn’t recommend petting animals, but that’s just me,” he said.

But if you do, he said to make sure you properly sanitize your hands.