Dr. Linda Vrbova
- National coordination of surveillance for domestic (e.g. West Nile , California serogroup, and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses) and travel-related mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. chikungunya, dengue, Zika)
- Assessment of risk posed by domestic and inernational zoonotic and vector-borne diseases using narrative and semi-quantitative risk assessment methods; development of tools to support rapid risk assessment of infectious disease events; rapid risk assessment of COVID-19 risk transmission to/from animals: domestic animals (cats, dogs), livestock (cattle, pigs, poultry), and other (mink)
- Detection, management, coordination and investigation of clusters and outbreaks of zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases at the federal level as well as development of relevant guidance materials
Key publications
Ludwig A, Zheng H, Vrbova L, Drebot MA, Iranpour M, and Lindsay LR. Increased risk of endemic mosquito-borne diseases in Canada due to climate change. 2019. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2019 Apr 4; 45(4): 91–97. doi: 10.14745/ccdr.v45i04a03
Gasmi S, Ogen NH, Ripoche M, Leighton PA, Lindsay RL, Nelder MP, Rees E, Bouchard C, Vrbova L, Rusk R, Russell C, Pelcat Y, Mechai S, Kotchi S, Koffi JK. Detection of municipalities at-risk of Lyme disease using passive surveillance of Ixodes scapularis as an early signal: A province-specific indicator in Canada. 2019. PLoS ONE 14(2): e0212637. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212637
Tataryn J, Vrbova L, Drebot M, Wood H, Payne E, Connors S, Geduld J, German M, Khan K, Buck PA. Travel-related Zika virus cases in Canada: October 2015-June 2017. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2018: 44:1.
Dussault C, Nelder MP, Russell C, Johnson S, Vrbova L. Evaluating the impact of Aedes japonicus invasion on the mosquito community in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region (Ontario, Canada). 2018. PLoS ONE 13(12): e0208911. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208911
Vrbova L, Sivanantharajah S, Walton R, Whitfield Y, Lee C, Picard I, Chapinal N, Gaulin C, Galanis E, Tataryn J. Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium associated with Feeder Rodents. Zoonoses and Public Health. 2018; 65(4):386-394. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12442
Whitfield Y, Johnson K, Hobbs L, Middleton D, Dhar B, Vrbova L. A descriptive study of non-travel related enteric zoonoses in Ontario, Canada, from 2010 – 2012. BMC Public Health. 2017: 17:217. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4135-9
Tanguay F, Vrbova L, Anderson M, Whitfield Y, Marcynuk P, MacDonald L, Tschetter L, Hexemer A for the Salmonella Reading Investigation Team. Outbreak of Salmonella Reading in Persons of Eastern-Mediterranean background in Canada, 2014-2015. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2017: 43:1.
Vrbova L, Patrick DM, Stephen C, Robertson C, Koehoorn M, Parmley EJ, DeWith NI, Galanis E. Utility of Algorithms for the Analysis of Integrated Salmonella Surveillance Data. Epidemiology and Infection. 2016; doi: doi:10.1017/S0950268816000182.
Middleton D, Savage R, Tighe MK, Vrbova L, Walton R, Whitfield Y, Varga C, Lee B, Rosella L, Dhar B, Johnson C, Ahmed R, Allen VG, Crowcroft NS. Risk factors for sporadic domestically acquired Salmonella serovar Enteritidis infections: a case-control study in Ontario, Canada, 2011. Epidemiology and Infection. 2014; 142(7):1411-21. doi: 10.1017/S0950268813001945.
Vrbova L, Johnson K, Whitfield Y, and Middleton D. A descriptive study of reportable gastrointestinal illnesses in Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2009. BMC Public Health 2012, 12:970: 12 November 2012.
Tighe M, Savage R, Vrbova L, Toolan M, Whitfield Y, Varga C, Lee B, Allen V, Maki A, Walton R, Johnson C, Dhar B, Ahmed R, Crowcroft NS and Middleton D. The epidemiology of travel-related Salmonella Enteritidis in Ontario, Canada, 2010–2011. 2012. BMC Public Health 2012, 12:310. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-310.
McKay RM, Vrbova L, Fuertes E, Chong M, David S, Dreher K, Purych D, Blondel-Hill E, Henry B, Marra F, Kendall PR, Patrick DM. (2011). Evaluation of the Do Bugs Need Drugs? program in British Columbia: Can we curb antibiotic prescribing? Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. Volume 22 Issue 1: 19-24.
Vrbova L, Stephen C, Kasman N, Boehnke R, Doyle-Waters M, Gibson B, Chablitt-Clark A, Patrick D. Systematic Review of Surveillance Systems for Emerging Zoonoses. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases; 2010 Jun; 57(3):154-61.
Triccio A, Pham B, Duval B, De Serres G, Gilca V, Vrbova L, Anonychuk A, Krahn M, Moher D. The burden of hepatitis A intervention triggered by infected food-handlers in Canada. BMC Health Services Research 2006, 6:157. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-6-157.
Vrbova L, Middleton D. Descriptive Epidemiology of Lyme Disease in Ontario: 1999-2004. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2006. 32:21.
Leung T, Vrbova L. Descriptive analysis of endemic and travel Hepatitis A cases in Ontario, 1998 to 2004. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2006. 32:24.
Navarro C, MacDonald D, Middleton D, Landry L, Vrbova L, Lior L. Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type U302 in Ontario, spring 2005. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2006. 32:7.
Vrbova L, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Moineddin R, Upshur REG. Temporal analysis of acute myocardial infarction in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 2005, 21:10, 841-845.
Vrbova L, Mamdani M, Moineddin R, Jaakimainen L, and Upshur REG. Does socioeconomic status affect mortality subsequent to hospital admission for community acquired pneumonia among older persons? Journal of Negative Results in BioMedicine 2005, 4:4.