CIHR-UBC Strategic Training Program for
Translational Research in Infectious Diseases
Address: D452 – 2733 Heather Pavilion, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3J5
E-mail: tonychow@interchange.ubc.ca
Voice: (604) 875-5063 Fax: (604) 875-4013 Website: http://cmdr.ubc.ca/trainingprogram
Research Theme:
Food and waterborne infections
Sub-theme:
Zoonotic and vector-borne infections and spread via food and water
Principal Investigators: Dr. William R. Bowie, MD; Dr. David M. Patrick, MD
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail:
(604) 875-4147 (Bowie); (604) 660-3199 (Patrick)
(604) 875-4013 (Bowie); (604) 660-0197 (Patrick)
bowie@interchange.ubc.ca (Bowie); david.patrick@bccdc.ca (Patrick)
The focus of this research is to understand the interaction between human pathogens arising from animals either directly
or via vectors, and how they enter pathways for spread into humans, particularly via food and water distribution
systems. British Columbia has had a large number of such outbreaks, including water-borne spread of parasites with
animal reservoirs (e.g., Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Toxoplasma), food and water-borne spread of bacterial
pathogens of animal origin (e.g., zoonotic infections such as Q fever spreading from goats to humans), and vector-borne
diseases (e.g., Lyme disease with animals serving as one of the reservoirs). BC is more likely than other places in
Canada to experience some of these infections because of our diverse climate and ecologic zones, terrestrial and aquatic
systems, numerous distinct watersheds, and the potential for interactions between the flora of animals and humans.
However, it is important to highlight that many of these outbreaks might not have been identified, and certainly would
not have been extensively studied without the combined expertise and cooperativeness of a large number of
professionals from different disciplines including veterinary and human medicine, public health, diagnostic and basic
research laboratories, epidemiologists, biostatisticians and others (e.g. water purveyors, food inspection agency etc).
Additional aspects under study in BC include the impact of antibiotic use in the agri-food industry, impact of climate
change and land use on the distribution and interaction with vectors, and other anthropogenic influences (e.g. migrations
of peoples and animals, food and water distribution, bioterrorism etc). The studies utilize descriptive and other
epidemiologic tools, routine and special diagnostic tools, geographic information systems, mathematical modelling, and
with selected organisms, molecular epidemiology. This work is providing data relevant for timely clinical and public
health intervention, as well as a new initiative to use an ecosystem approach to understand these important interactions
and to develop appropriate adaptive responses.
Updated: August 2003
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