Dr. Sara Belga, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Dr. Jan Hajek, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases are recipients of the 2021 VCHRI Team Grant Awards
The VCHRI Team Grant competition supports practice-based research projects and builds health research capacity. Projects for this competition are directly relevant to current health care issues within Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Providence Health Care (PHC) and based on the collaboration between health care providers and experienced researchers.
To read about all of the VCHRI Team Grant recipients, please visit the VCHRI website for the official announcement
Sara Belga, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases
Project title: A novel CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity assay to predict CMV infection in renal transplant recipient
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that typically does not cause serious problems in people with normal immune systems, but it can be dangerous when contracted by a transplant patient. Following a successful transplantation surgery, patients are required to take immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection, which can allow the CMV to resurface in the body and cause health problems. Currently, kidney transplant patients who are at risk of developing CMV are given antiviral medications to prevent infection, but these medications can have serious side effects.
This study aims to trial one CMV immune test in kidney transplant patients to assess those at risk for CMV infection. Researchers will use these tests to track patients’ immune system for the first year after their transplant to identify warning signs of CMV infection before it develops.
“This test will be a personalized approach to CMV monitoring for post-transplant patients,” says Dr. Belga. “It has the potential to not only decrease the frequency of blood work and reduce both medication costs and side effects for those deemed low risk of CMV complications, but also improve patient outcomes by allowing for early identification of those at high risk of developing complications from CMV.”
Jan Hajek, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases
Project title: Community-based antibiotic therapy for persons with severe bacterial infections and substance use disorders in a low-barrier, home-like, skilled nursing facility
Severe bacterial infections that affect the heart or spinal cord require hospitalization and long courses of high doses of antibiotics, typically lasting at least 6 weeks. After the initial hospitalization, most patients are connected to an outpatient antibiotic therapy program to complete the rest of their treatment at home or in their community. However, people with substance use disorders are often not accepted into these programs due to concerns about complications, adherence and lack of safe housing conditions. This results in prolonged hospital stays and treatment interruptions that cause strain on both the patient and the health care system.
This project will examine the benefit of providing antibiotic therapy for patients with both severe bacterial infections and substance use disorders in a short-stay, skilled nursing facility called the Community Transitional Care Team (CTCT). The research team will compare outcomes, experiences and costs associated with patients who receive care at CTCT versus those who are referred to CTCT but for various reasons—especially a lack of vacant rooms at the time of referral—do not reach CTCT to complete their antibiotic treatment.
“Findings from this project could help to inform further investment into resources and programs that benefit this marginalized population,” says Dr. Hajek.