Sault high school shatters donation goal
St. Mary's College in Sault Ste. Marie hosts its third Relay for Life and raises more than $73,000 for Cancer research.
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CBC
29 minutes ago
- CBC
B.C. First Nations launch drug trial to combat mange in declining bighorn sheep population
Social Sharing Residents of the South Okanagan in B.C. have noticed an increase in psoroptic mange, a parasitic skin disease, among the area's bighorn sheep. A decline in their population is prompting a new study. Research for the study, led by the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), a First Nations tribal council, began in February and will continue until July 2026. The alliance says big horn sheep are woven into the history of the Syilx people, with their presence reflecting the health of the land and the balance between people and nature. The Syilx are indigenous to the Okanagan, and their territory reaches into the United States. The Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia is helping fund the research, which also involves a number of provincial and regional biologists. It says B.C. is home to some of the largest and most diverse populations of wild sheep in North America. Mackenzie Clarke, ONA Wildlife Program lead, says that all bighorns from Penticton down to the United States have the skin disease. "There's a little mite that eats away at that top surface layer. it causes weeping sores, scabs and build-up of really itchy skin, so the sheep can't stop itching … they have a lot of hair loss," she told CBC's Daybreak South. Hair loss and hearing loss, because mites build up crust inside of sheep's ears, can have fatal outcomes, she says. Some sheep die due to exposure during the winter when they lose their hair, and hearing loss makes the sheep vulnerable to predators and vehicles on the road. Clarke says that researchers believe psoroptic mange here originated from a domestic rabbit farm in B.C. During a previous trial, genetic testing was done on the sheep, and researchers say they are certain the disease came from a domestic rabbit farm that was in close proximity to the sheep. She says that no wild rabbits in the area have the disease and that the domestic rabbit farm doesn't exist anymore. "It can switch between hosts, so that's why we're wanting to kick off this drug trial now, if we can, to try to get a treatment for it, before it does potentially host switch again," she said. Mange medication trial Bighorn sheep were captured, and two different drugs are being tested to see which is more effective in mitigating mange and which lasts longer. Fluralaner and moxidectin are the drugs, sourced from Australia. The Penticton Indian Band, a partner in the project, is holding the sheep. A previous mange mitigation trial from 2016 that also happened within the Penticton Indian Band was an inspiration for this study, says Clarke. She says that fluralaner was used in the previous mange trial and worked, and that moxidectin is used in the UK on domestic sheep. She says if the drugs work, all bighorn sheep in the South Okanagan will get it. Decline in bighorn sheep Psoroptic mange is limited to the South Okanagan area west of Penticton and was first detected there in 2011. Clarke says that since then, 60 per cent of bighorn sheep populations have declined. She hopes the study helps rejuvenate those numbers. Lia McKinnon shares those sentiments. McKinnon is a stewardship biologist with Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society, an organization that focuses on wildlife restoration and has lived in the Okanagan for over 30 years. She told CBC News that the study "is amazing, there are so many threats to the bighorn sheep." Another threat to the sheep is pneumonia, which Clarke says the bighorn sheep in the South Okanagan also have. McKinnon remembers 90 per cent of the bighorn population "dying off" during the 90s because of a spike in pneumonia — the study hopes to address that issue as well, she says. "One really cool thing about the work being done is that it is being done by the Penticton Indian band in conjunction with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and the province is involved.
CBC
29 minutes ago
- CBC
Tick-borne Rocky Mountain spotted fever spreading in Canada
Quebec has reported its first case of the potentially deadly tick-borne disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The disease has also been reported in dogs in Ontario. Here's what you need to know about preventing, identifying and treating the disease. What is Rocky Mountain spotted fever? Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia ricketssiae. Symptoms in humans can include fever, headache, nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, muscle pain and lack of appetite. The disease is named for the red rash that develops two to four days after the fever begins. The rash can range from pinpoint dots to red splotches. The disease can be treated with the common antibiotic doxycyclone, and most people make a full recovery. But it can be deadly in five to 10 per cent of cases in the U.S. even with treatment, reports the U.S.-based Cleveland Clinic. Without treatment, one in four people die of the disease. Researchers try to curb tick populations as diseases spread 19 days ago Scientists say ticks are showing up in places they weren't before, so Canadian researchers are turning to new methods to curb tick populations and their impact. Dogs can also get Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Dr. Scott Weese, director of the Centre for Public Health and Zoonese at the University of Guelph, said symptoms in dogs include fever, malaise, enlarged lymph nodes, loss of appetite and muscle aches that make the animals reluctant to move. The rash can sometimes be seen inside the dog's mouth. As with humans, the disease can be deadly in dogs, and Weese said one of the first dogs identified with the disease in Ontario died of it. How is it transmitted? It can't be transmitted from person to person. It's only acquired from tick bites — typically the American dog tick (Demacentor variabilis), which is found from eastern Alberta to Nova Scotia, especially in the southern parts of those provinces. Weese says despite its name, it doesn't target dogs specifically, but a variety of large mammals, including humans. Previously, people didn't worry about American dog ticks because they didn't carry Lyme disease, which people get from the blacklegged or deer tick. "Now we're having to change our tune a little bit, realizing that this tick might not be as benign as we thought around here," Weese said. Like black-legged ticks, American dog ticks are found in grassy and wooded areas. Ticks can also hitch-hike between dogs or from dogs to humans — something Weese thinks happened to him the other day with his own dog at home. Other ticks that can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever include the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) and the brown dog tick (Rhicephalus sanguineus). Where is the disease found? The U.S. sees 6,000 cases per year, especially in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, the Cleveland Clinic reports. In Canada, the disease was known but rare in B.C., with an incidence of one case per 500,000 people in 2019. WATCH | Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise. Here's what to look out for: Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise. Here's what to look out for 1 month ago Dr. Samir Gupta, a Toronto-based respirologist, is warning of an increase in tick bites and tick-borne illnesses across Canada. Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of wild animals and are known to transmit bacteria through bites. There have been occasional cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever reported in other parts of the country. A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disease in 2023 after travelling from Saskatchewan to Ontario, and being in contact with her son's two dogs in Ottawa. The Ottawa doctors who saw the case said the disease's expansion north into areas where it hadn't been seen before was likely linked to milder winters and hotter, drier summers linked to climate change, which allow ticks to expand their range. Earlier this year, a cluster of cases in dogs was linked to Long Point Provincial Park on Lake Erie in Ontario. Weese said such a large group in a small area was a surprise. "That would suggest that this is quite well-established, at least in some areas." This week, Dr. Alex Carignan, a microbiologist and infectious disease specialist with the regional health authority in Estrie, Que., reported a "recent" case in the province's Eastern Townships. Weese noted the Quebec case also seems to have been locally acquired, raising questions about how far the disease has spread in Canada. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist based at Toronto General Hospital, said the Ontario dog infections and the detection of Rickettsia bacteria in ticks north of the border had shown that the disease was already in Canada. "The real question is how much of it is here and what's the geographic distribution." He added that other tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis have spread more widely over recent years as shorter, warmer winters allow tick populations to push north. What should people do to protect themselves and their pets? Both Bogoch and Weese recommend people take precautions to avoid being bitten by ticks. This can include staying on trails and away from places such as long grass and leaf litter; wearing long sleeves, long pants and insect repellent when possible while in areas where ticks might be; checking for ticks on themselves and their dogs after visiting such areas; and removing ticks promptly if found. Weese said people with dogs are at higher risk because they're more likely to walk in areas with higher risk of tick exposure and because dogs can sometimes bring ticks into homes in their fur. Giving dogs oral or topical tick preventive medications can greatly reduce the risk of exposure, Weese said. However, it doesn't replace other measures, and may not be as effective with Rocky Mountain spotted fever as it is with Lyme disease, since the former is transmitted more quickly. Bogoch said health-care workers should be aware there are tick-transmitted diseases beyond Lyme that they should look out for, so that suspected cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be treated immediately. Weese recommended that if people or their pets fall ill after visiting wooded or grassy areas that might have ticks or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, they should mention the possible exposure to their doctor or vet to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment. He also noted that while people should be aware of these diseases, they're still rare in Canada.
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
CIBC Innovation Banking Provides Growth Capital Financing to MedMe Health
Article content TORONTO — CIBC Innovation Banking announced today that it has provided a growth-focused credit facility to MedMe Health ('MedMe'). The company will use the financing to expand its product suite and scale its operations in North America. Article content Founded in 2019, MedMe has rapidly established itself as a leading platform for pharmacy care delivery in Canada, supporting over 4,500 pharmacies across North America. MedMe enables pharmacies to operate as true clinical hubs, delivering vaccinations, chronic disease management, and preventative care at scale. Article content 'With growing traction in the US and the launch of AI-powered tools such as Clinical Assistant and Patient Concierge, MedMe is setting a new standard for how community providers engage, document, and care for patients,' said Purya Sarmadi, CEO and Co-Founder of MedMe. 'We are excited to work with CIBC Innovation Banking to fuel our next stage of growth. This financing will accelerate our US expansion, extend our medical billing capabilities for pharmacist-led care, advance our AI roadmap, and scale our presence across specialty pharmacy and adjacent healthcare providers.' Article content Niramay, Executive Director at CIBC Innovation Banking, added 'MedMe is helping to transform pharmacy care delivery with its innovative, customizable software platform. We are proud to support its next phase of growth as it expand into new markets and continues to drive digital transformation in the healthcare sector.' Article content MedMe is backed by leading investors including Microsoft's M12, Graphite Ventures, MaRS IAF, and YCombinator. Article content About CIBC Innovation Banking Article content CIBC Innovation Banking has 25 years of specialized experience in growth-stage tech and life science companies across North America – a longer track record than most banks. CIBC Innovation Banking now has over $11 billion in funds managed including life sciences, health care, cleantech companies, investors, and entrepreneurs, and has assisted over 700 venture and private equity-backed businesses over the past six and a half years. The bank operates out of 14 global locations in San Francisco, Menlo Park, New York, Toronto, London, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta, Reston, and Durham. Connect with us today to start the conversation. About MedMe Health MedMe Health is a scaling-stage digital health company transforming how pharmacies and community-based providers deliver care. Founded to address the growing gap between traditional pharmacy systems and the clinical demands of modern practice, MedMe replaces fragmented, outdated tools with a configurable, all-in-one platform built specifically for pharmacist-led care. Article content Trusted by over 4,500 pharmacy locations and leading national chains across North America, MedMe's platform has powered more than 25 million patient services to date. The company is expanding rapidly across the US and adjacent verticals such as specialty pharmacy. MedMe's modular infrastructure streamlines scheduling, intake, documentation, and communication for pharmacy clinical services such as vaccinations, minor ailments, POCT, and chronic disease management. Article content MedMe is also leading the integration of AI in pharmacy care. Its Clinical Assistant transcribes and auto-fills clinical notes in real time, while Patient Concierge, a voice agent, autonomously answers and makes calls to handle refills, bookings, and follow-ups. These tools reduce administrative burden, improve access, and enable pharmacists to operate at the top of their license. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
