Bug Day 2026

THIS EVENT IS PRESENTED DIGITALLY

You must register below to be provided with a certificate of attendance. Add event ticket (below) to cart and complete the registration process. You will receive an email confirmation upon successful registration. If you are unsure if you have registered, you can check My Account, in your profile, to ensure that you have registered for the event. Registration will be open until 10:00am, October 22nd. Registrations will not be accepted past this time, no exceptions.

Important Event Information:

The virtual event begins at 8:00am, and the stream will go live 20 minutes prior at 7:40am.

If you encounter any issues with the livestream, try the following:

• Refresh your browser
• Switch to a different browser
• Try using a different device
• Plug into a wired internet connection instead of using Wi-Fi

** Registrations are not accepted post-event**

Description

Interested in the prevention and control of communicable diseases, and health issues in the community or healthcare setting? Bug Day is for you! Nationally and internationally recognized experts will present timely topics in infectious diseases and public health at Manitoba’s largest healthcare education event. Held every year during National Infection Prevention & Control Week, register below.

Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the key pathogens that have been clinically and socially relevant over the past 30 years (Medical Expert, Scholar)
2. State how the determinants of health influence a person’s risk for infection (Health Advocate, Communicator)
3. Explain how to modify risk factors for acquisition of infection (Collaborator, Professional)

Agenda

Bug Day 2026: Thursday, October 22, 2026

0800 – 0805 Land Acknowledgment. Chris Christodoulou, MD, Shared Health

0805 – 0810 Opening Comments. Karen Appel, MD, University of Manitoba

0810 – 0815 Introduction to Bug Day/Grand Rounds. John Embil, MD, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

0815 – 0830 Where We Have Been, and Where We Are Going: A One Health Perspective. Joss Reimer, MD, Public Health Agency of Canada

0830 – 0845 In Public Health We Trust! Brent Roussin, MD, Manitoba Health

0845 – 0900 On the Horizon: Emerging Infectious Diseases. Ziad Memish, MD, Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia

0900 – 0915 Questions and Answers

0915 – 0930 The Ongoing Threat of Neisseria meningitidis. Tim Hilderman, MD, Manitoba Health

0930 – 0945 Public Health in Action: Shigella spp Outbreak Response in an Urban Unhoused Population. Chris Sikora, MD, Primary and Preventative Health Services, Government of Alberta

0945 – 1000 Keep Calm and Beat the Pandemic! Lanette Siragusa, RN, University of Manitoba

1000 – 1015 Questions and Answers

1015 – 1030 Break

1030 – 1045 Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Manitoba: Responding to an Emergency. Ken Kasper, MD, University of Manitoba

1045 – 1100 All you Want to Know about Syndemics. Yoav Keynan, MD, University of Manitoba

1100 – 1115 Vaccines in a Time of Climate Change, Megacities, and Anti-Science. Peter Hotez, MD, Baylor College of Medicine

1115 – 1130 Questions and Answers

1130 – 1200 Lunch

1200 – 1300 Medical Grand Rounds: Trouble on the Horizon: The Effects of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Gut Microbiome. Heather Armstrong, PhD, University of Alberta

1300 – 1315 Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP): More than 30 Years of Success and Knowledge Translation. John Conly, MD, University of Calgary

1315 – 1330 Expanding Canadian Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance. Kelly Choi, MSc, Public Health Agency of Canada

1330 – 1345 Canadian Surveillance for Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities in Canada. Jessica Bartoszko, PhD, Public Health Agency of Canada

1345 – 1400 Questions and Answers

1400 – 1415 Evolving Diagnostics for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Thirty‑Year Journey. Stephanie Booth, PhD, National Microbiology Laboratory

1415 – 1430 Microbiology in Action: Microbiological Emergency Response Team. Kym Antonation, MPH, National Microbiology Laboratory

1430 – 1445 Lyme Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses and Updates on Lyme Disease Etiology in Canada. Heather Coatsworth, PhD, National Microbiology Laboratory

1445 – 1500 Questions and Answers

1500 – 1515 Break

1515 – 1530 Q Fever – The Fog Comes on Little Cat Feet. Thomas Marie, MD, Dalhousie University

1530 – 1545 Case Studies in Travel Medicine: Always Expect the Unexpected! Philippe Lagacé-Wiens, MD, Shared Health Manitoba

1545 – 1600 Malaria Vaccines: Life Saving but not for Everyone. Pierre Plourde, MD, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

1600 – 1615 Questions and Answers

Note: Topics and speakers may be subject to change

Study Credits

This event was co-developed with the CPD Medicine Program at the University of Manitoba and was designed to ensure scientific integrity, objectivity, and balance.

This one-credit-per-hour activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by the CPD Medicine Program, University of Manitoba for up to 7 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits.

SECTION 1 ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by CPD Medicine Program, University of Manitoba. You may claim a maximum of 7 hours.

Participants should only claim credit for the actual number of hours attended.
The University of Manitoba CPD Medicine Program is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education (CACME).

Questions about this event please contact Carolyn Garlinski CDGarlinski@hsc.mb.ca