Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT): Workplan
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Preamble
This document outlines the workplan priorities for the Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) for the period from January 2026 to December 2027. It is recognized that not all identified priorities will be completed within this two-year period, and some initiatives may be carried into subsequent years.
The priority selections was informed by consultations with CATMAT members, liaison and ex-officio representatives. The workplan priorities may be adjusted as new travel-related information emerges and/or as new products or indications receive authorization.
Workplan Triggers
The following triggers are used to identify and prioritize workplan items. They reflect factors that may prompt CATMAT to develop new guidance, update existing recommendations, or adjust priorities in response to evolving evidence, risks, and system needs. Triggers are listed in alphabetic order, not by priority.
- Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk
- Key publications with clinical practice implications
- National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) statements
- New Canadian recommendations issued by government or professional organizations
- New safety or effectiveness considerations for existing treatment or prophylaxis
- New treatments, chemoprophylaxis, vaccines, diagnostic tests or new indications/medical products
- Product supply issues for treatment or prophylaxis
- Public health emergencies
- Recommendations from reputable international organizations
- Review and updates to travel vaccine chapters in the Canadian Immunization Guide (CIG)
Workplan priorities: January 2026 to December 2027
| Initiative | Policy/program issues | Trigger(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Animal Bites |
Develop updated guidelines on rabies vaccine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). |
Key publications with clinical practice implications; recommendations from reputable international organizations; and alignment with NACI. |
|
Chikungunya |
Update guidance to include recommendations for live attenuated vaccine (LAV) use in youth aged 12–17 years. Develop new guidance for virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine, pending Health Canada approval. |
New treatments, chemoprophylaxis, vaccines, diagnostic tests or new indications/medical products. |
|
Essential Medicine |
Ensure Canadian healthcare providers (HCPs) have access to a reliable and comprehensive resource on essential medicines for treatment of tropical diseases. |
Key publications with clinical practice implications. |
|
Guidelines Development and Methodology Handbook |
Update CATMAT's methodology guidance, including evolving use of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation [GRADE] framework, and approaches to streamline and standardize statement development. |
Key publications with clinical practice implications; recommendations from reputable international organizations; and alignment with NACI. |
|
Tuberculosis |
Develop updated guidelines on tuberculosis screening and preventive treatment for adult travellers. |
Key publications with clinical practice implications; new Canadian recommendations issued by government or professional organizations. |
|
Typhoid |
Update typhoid statement. |
Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk. |
|
Yellow Fever |
Develop updated guidelines on yellow fever and vaccination. |
Key publications with clinical practice implications; changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk; new Canadian recommendations issued by government or professional organizations; review and updates to travel vaccine chapters in the Canadian Immunization Guide (CIG). |
|
| Malaria | Chapter 1: |
Update introductory chapter of the Canadian recommendations for the prevention and treatment of Malaria. |
Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk. |
Chapters 2: |
Update guidance on malaria prevention and risk assessment. |
Key publications with clinical practice implications. |
|
Chapter 5: |
Update: Chapter 5.4: Travellers with co-morbidities Chapter 5.5: Migrants and those visiting friends and relatives |
Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk; key publications with clinical practice implications; new safety or effectiveness considerations for existing treatments and prophylaxis; recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations. |
|
Chapter 7: |
Update malaria treatment recommendations. |
Recommendations from reputable international organizations; changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, new safety or effectiveness considerations for existing treatments/prophylaxis. |
|
Appendix 1 |
Update malaria risk and recommended preventive measures by geographic area. |
Routine updates; changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk; recommendations from reputable international organizations. |
|
Malaria Toolkit |
Comprehensive update of appendices 2–5 into a practical "toolkit" including: Pre-travel checklists; Frequently asked questions; Guidance on access to treatment through the Canadian Malaria Network (e.g. parenteral artesunate or quinine). |
Key publications with clinical practice implication; changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk. |
|
Previous workplan
2024-2025
| Projects currently underway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative | Policy/Program Issues | Trigger(s) | |
| Animal Bites (including rabies) |
Develop updated guidelines on rabies vaccine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) | Key publications with clinical practice implications, recommendations by reputable international organizations, and alignment with NACI | |
| Chikungunya | Develop new guidelines for chikungunya vaccine product(s) | New treatment, chemoprophylaxis, vaccine, diagnostic test or new indications/medical products | |
| Dengue | Develop recommendations to advise Canadians who may encounter dengue vaccine while travelling to popular destinations where the vaccine is authorized | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk; and new treatment, chemoprophylaxis, vaccine, diagnostic test or new indications/medical products | |
| Guidelines Development and Methodology Handbook | Develop a handbook outlining the committee's methodology (include use of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation [GRADE]), and streamline/standardize the statement development process | Key publications with clinical practice implications, recommendations by reputable international organizations, and alignment with NACI | |
| Tuberculosis | Develop updated guidelines on tuberculosis screening and preventive treatment for travellers | Key publications with clinical practice implications and new Canadian recommendation by a government or professional organization | |
| Yellow Fever | Develop updated guidelines on yellow fever and vaccination | Key publications with clinical practice implications, changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, new Canadian recommendation by a government or professional organization, and NACI update of the CIG chapters | |
| Malaria | Chapters 2 & 3: Prevention and risk assessment Prevention — bite protection measures and malaria education |
Develop a harmonized statement chapter on malaria prevention, risk assessment, bite protection measures, and malaria education | Key publications with clinical practice implications |
| Chapter 4: Prevention — chemoprophylaxis regimens |
Update the Malaria statement chapter on chemoprophylaxis regimens for malaria prevention | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, and key publications with clinical practice implication | |
| Chapter 5: Prevention in special hosts |
Update the Malaria statement chapters on prevention in special hosts for the following populations: Chapter 5.1: children Chapter 5.2: pregnancy and breastfeeding Chapter 5.4: travellers with co-morbidities Chapter 5.5: migrants and those visiting friends and relatives |
Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk; key publications with clinical practice implications; new safety or efficacy/effectiveness considerations for existing treatments and prophylaxis; and recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations | |
| Chapter 7: Treatment |
Update the Malaria statement chapter on treatment of malaria | Recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations, changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, and new safety or efficacy/effectiveness considerations for existing treatments/prophylaxis | |
| Next projects | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative | Policy/Program Issues | Trigger(s) | |
| High Altitude Illness | Update new clinical guidelines and resources | Key publications with clinical practice implications and recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations | |
| Immunocompromised Traveller | Update guidance for this special population to reflect increasing diversity in health conditions and complexity in therapeutics | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk | |
| Malaria | Appendix 1 | Update the Malaria statement Appendix 1 on malaria risk and recommended preventive measures by geographical area | Routine updates, changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, and recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations |
| Chapter 5.3: Prevention in special hosts — long term traveller or expatriate |
Update the Malaria statement chapter on prevention in special hosts — long term traveller or expatriate | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, and key publications with clinical practice implications | |
| Chapter 8: Drugs for the prevention and treatment of malaria |
Update the Malaria statement chapter on drugs for the prevention and treatment of malaria | Key publications with clinical practice implications; new safety or efficacy/effectiveness considerations for existing treatments/prophylaxis; and recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations | |
| Travellers' Diarrhea | Update new regimens available and guidance on prophylaxis and antibiotics stewardship in regard to increasing resistance | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk, and recommendations/adoption by reputable international organizations | |
| Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) | Develop updated guidelines on VFR | Changes in epidemiology and evolving traveller risk | |