Learn how to navigate conflict using real case examples. Rhonda shares various experiences of her journey through the clinical laboratory and provides reflections and tools that could have helped her navigate her experience better.

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

• Recognize common mistakes I made in my adventures through the lab, so hopefully you can relate.
• Identify what factors you can control (as an individual) in the lab setting.
• Identify some tools you can use to help you navigate lab culture.

Speaker: Rhonda Pouliot, BSc MA MLT

Lyme disease is the most important tick-borne disease in Canada. On-going range expansion of its principal vector, the blacklegged tick, means that the burden of Lyme disease is likely to increase over time. Serological testing has been the primary tool to provide laboratory evidence of exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. Testing currently involves a two-step approach [an Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) for screening followed by immunoblots (IgM and/or IgG) on reactive samples]. Use of a modified two-tiered testing approach (two EIAs) for Lyme disease is under consideration and plans for validation/implementation of this new algorithm will be described.

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

• Understand the changing dynamics of Lyme disease risk in Canada
• Know which diagnostic tests are commonly used to support clinical suspicion of Lyme disease
• Become aware of proposed changes to Lyme disease diagnostic testing algorithms and the evaluations that have been undertaken to support these proposed changes

Speaker: Robbin Lindsay, Research Scientist, Public Health Agency of Canada