Overview

Timely and accurate diagnosis of infectious agents is of the utmost importance in treating pediatric patients. I am interested in exploring how new technologies can be applied to improve the diagnosis of infectious disease and enable the best possible care of children.

Publications

Empiric antibiotics for peripartum bacteremia: A chart review from a quaternary Canadian centre
International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Mohn, S.F. and Reimer, R. and Mar, N. and Katelieva, A. and Paquette, V. and Albert, A.Y.K. and Roberts, A. and Tilley, P. and McClymont, E. and Ting, J. and Boucoiran, I. and Elwood, C.
DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.15048
2024

Extraction-free clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus from saline gargle samples using Hamilton STARlet liquid handler
Scientific Reports
Gadkar, V.J. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J.A. and Smailus, D.E. and Coope, R.J.N. and Pleasance, S. and Watson, N. and Chen, T. and Lam, S. and Hoang, L. and Tilley, P.A.G.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30993-2
2023

Comprehensive human amniotic fluid metagenomics supports the sterile womb hypothesis
Scientific Reports
Wang, H.C. and Yang, G.X. and Hu, Y. and Lam, P. and Sangha, K. and Siciliano, D. and Swenerton, A. and Miller, R. and Tilley, P. and Von Dadelszen, P. and Kalyan, S. and Tang, P. and Patel, M.S.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10869-7
2022

Limitation of ctrA as a Target for Neisseria meningitidis Identification and Potential Alternative Targets
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Sirluck-Schroeder, I. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Gadkar, V. and Hoang, L. and Tsang, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00152-22
2022

Evaluation of observed and unobserved self-collection of saline gargle samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in outpatients
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Kinshella, M.-L.W. and Tilley, P. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J.A. and Kayda, I. and Canes, M. and McLennan, M. and Bone, J.N. and Dittrick, M. and Gadkar, V.J. and Hoang, L.M.N. and Goldfarb, D.M.
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115566
2022

Development and validation of a new triplex real-time quantitative reverse Transcriptase-PCR assay for the clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2
Molecular and Cellular Probes
Gadkar, V.J. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Young, V. and Watson, N. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2021.101744
2021

Self-collected saline gargle samples as an alternative to health care worker-collected nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis in outpatients
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Goldfarb, D.M. and Tilley, P. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J.A. and Ford, G. and Pedersen, H. and Pabbi, A. and Hannam-Clark, S. and Charles, M. and Dittrick, M. and Gadkar, V.J. and Pernica, J.M. and Hoanga, L.M.N.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02427-20
2021

Self-collected saline gargle samples as an alternative to healthcare worker collected nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis in outpatients
medRxiv
Goldfarb, D.M. and Tilley, P. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J.A. and Ford, G. and Pedersen, H. and Pabbi, A. and Hannam-Clark, S. and Charles, M.K. and Dittrick, M. and Gadkar, V.J. and Pernica, J.M. and Hoang, L.M.N.
DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.13.20188334
2020

Development of a national neonatal intensive care unit-specific antimicrobial stewardship programme in Canada: Protocol for a cohort study
BMJ Open
Ting, J.Y. and Roberts, A. and Tilley, P. and Robinson, J.L. and Dunn, M.S. and Paquette, V. and Lee, K.-S. and Shah, V. and Yoon, E. and Richter, L.L. and Lodha, A. and Shivananda, S. and Thampi, N. and Autmizguine, J. and Shah, P.S.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043403
2020

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS for the accurate identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli in the clinical microbiology laboratory
Journal of Medical Microbiology
Wong, K.S.K. and Dhaliwal, S. and Bilawka, J. and Srigley, J.A. and Champagne, S. and Romney, M.G. and Tilley, P. and Sadarangani, M. and Zlosnik, J.E.A. and Chilvers, M.A.
DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001223
2020

Gargle-Direct: Extraction-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 using real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) of saline gargle rinse samples
medRxiv
Gadkar, V.J. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Young, V. and Watson, N. and Hoang, L. and Lee, T. and Prystajecky, N. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Srigley, J.A. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.09.20203430
2020

Performance of the BD phoenix automated microbiology system for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole susceptibility testing of Staphylococcus aureus
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Chorlton, S. and Dhaliwal, S. and Golding, G.R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00994-19
2020

A metagenomics-based diagnostic approach for central nervous system infections in hospital acute care setting
Scientific Reports
Hasan, M.R. and Sundararaju, S. and Tang, P. and Tsui, K.-M. and Lopez, A.P. and Janahi, M. and Tan, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68159-z
2020

Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant urinary tract infections in children presenting to the paediatric emergency department
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
Kang, K.T. and Ng, K. and Kendrick, J. and Tilley, P. and Ting, J. and Rassekh, S. and Murthy, S. and Roberts, A.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxy175
2020

A Metagenomics – Based Diagnostic Approach for Central Nervous System Infections in Hospital Acute Care Setting
bioRxiv
Hasan, M.R. and Sundararaju, S. and Tang, P. and Tsui, K.-M. and Lopez, A.P. and Janahi, M. and Tan, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1101/752618
2019

Pediatric oncology and stem cell transplant patients with healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection were already colonized on admission
Pediatric Blood and Cancer
Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Al-Najjar, A. and McDonald, R. and Deyell, R.J. and Golding, G.R. and Brant, R. and Tilley, P. and Thomas, E. and Rassekh, S.R. and O'Gorman, A. and Wong, P. and Turnham, L. and Dobson, S.
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.27604
2019

Running out of options: Extensively drug-resistant urinary tract infection in an infant
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
Mijovic, H. and Wakeham, S. and Ng, K. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Tilley, P. and Ho, L. and Roberts, A.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxz048
2019

Asymptomatic Pharyngeal Carriage of Kingella kingae among Young Children in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
Masud, S. and Greenman, J. and Mulpuri, K. and Hasan, M.R. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Tilley, P. and Gadkar, V.J. and Al-Rawahi, G.N.
DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002403
2019

Reduction of Inappropriate Antimicrobial Prescriptions in a Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit After Antimicrobial Stewardship Care Bundle Implementation
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
Ting, J.Y. and Paquette, V. and Ng, K. and Lisonkova, S. and Hait, V. and Shivanada, S. and Tilley, P. and Osiovich, H. and Roberts, A.
DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002039
2019

A novel real-time PCR assay panel for detection of common respiratory pathogens in a convenient, strip-tube array format
bioRxiv
Hasan, M.R. and Mana, H.A. and Young, V. and Tang, P. and Thomas, E. and Tan, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1101/455568
2018

Recovery of cytomegalovirus DNA from newborn saliva samples by different methods
Journal of Clinical Virology
Goshen, O. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Book, L. and Tilley, P. and Gantt, S.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2018.05.001
2018

Real-time Detection and Monitoring of Loop Mediated Amplification (LAMP) Reaction Using Self-quenching and De-quenching Fluorogenic Probes
Scientific Reports
Gadkar, V.J. and Goldfarb, D.M. and Gantt, S. and Tilley, P.A.G.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23930-1
2018

Is it safe to re-access sodium bicarbonate bottles for use in minor surgery?
Journal of Pediatric Surgery
Bjornson, L. and Bucevska, M. and Tilley, P. and Verchere, C.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2018.04.005
2018

Cellular metabolism constrains innate immune responses in early human ontogeny
Nature Communications
Kan, B. and Michalski, C. and Fu, H. and Au, H.H.T. and Lee, K. and Marchant, E.A. and Cheng, M.F. and Anderson-Baucum, E. and Aharoni-Simon, M. and Tilley, P. and Mirmira, R.G. and Ross, C.J. and Luciani, D.S. and Jan, E. and Lavoie, P.M.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07215-9
2018

Impact of matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight and antimicrobial stewardship intervention on treatment of bloodstream infections in hospitalized children
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Malcolmson, C. and Ng, K. and Hughes, S. and Kissoon, N. and Schina, J. and Tilley, P.A. and Roberts, A.
DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piw033
2017

Symptomatic Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection Is Underdiagnosed in British Columbia
The Journal of Pediatrics
Brendan Sorichetti and Oran Goshen and Julie Pauwels and Frederick K. Kozak and Peter Tilley and Mel Krajden and Soren Gantt
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.10.069
02/2016

Bacillus pumilus Septic Arthritis in a Healthy Child
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Shivamurthy, V.M. and Gantt, S. and Reilly, C. and Tilley, P. and Guzman, J. and Tucker, L.
DOI: 10.1155/2016/3265037
2016

Respiratory Presentation of Pediatric Patients in the 2014 Enterovirus D68 Outbreak
Canadian Respiratory Journal
Martin, G. and Li, R. and Cook, V.E. and Carwana, M. and Tilley, P. and Sauve, L. and Tang, P. and Kapur, A. and Yang, C.L.
DOI: 10.1155/2016/8302179
2016

Paediatric infectious keratitis at tertiary referral centres in Vancouver, Canada
British Journal of Ophthalmology
Noureddin, G.S. and Sasaki, S. and Butler, A.L. and Tilley, P. and Roscoe, D. and Lyons, C.J. and Holland, S.P. and Yeung, S.N.
DOI: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2015-308034
2016

Depletion of human DNA in spiked clinical specimens for improvement of sensitivity of pathogen detection by next-generation sequencing
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Hasan, M.R. and Rawat, A. and Tang, P. and Jithesh, P.V. and Thomas, E. and Tan, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.03050-15
2016

Comparative evaluation of laboratory developed real-time PCR assays and RealStar® BKV PCR Kit for quantitative detection of BK polyomavirus
Journal of Virological Methods
Hasan, M.R. and Tan, R. and Al-Rawahi, G. and Thomas, E. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2016.04.009
2016

Surgical masks reduce airborne spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in colonized patients with cystic fibrosis
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Driessche, K.V. and Hens, N. and Tilley, P. and Quon, B.S. and Chilvers, M.A. and De Groot, R. and Cotton, M.F. and Marais, B.J. and Speert, D.P. and Zlosnik, J.E.A.
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201503-0481LE
2015

Evaluation of amplification targets for the specific detection of Bordetella pertussis using real-time polymerase chain reaction
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Hasan, M.R. and Tan, R. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Thomas, E. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1155/2014/763128
2014

Optimal use of MRSASelect and PCR to maximize sensitivity and specificity of MRSA detection
Current Microbiology
Hasan, M.R. and Brunstein, J.D. and Al-Rawahi, G. and Tan, R. and Thomas, E. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-012-0241-1
2013

Short-term stability of pathogen-specific nucleic acid targets in clinical samples
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Hasan, M.R. and Tan, R. and Al-Rawahi, G.N. and Thomas, E. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02659-12
2012

Successful approach to treatment of helicobacter bilis infection in x-linked agammaglobulinemia
Journal of Clinical Immunology
Turvey, S.E. and Leo, S.H. and Boos, A. and Deans, G.D. and Prendiville, J. and Crawford, R.I. and Senger, C. and Conley, M.E. and Tilley, P. and Junker, A. and Janz, L. and Azana, R. and Hoang, L. and Morton, T.L.
DOI: 10.1007/s10875-012-9750-8
2012

Antimicrobial resistance in gonorrhea: The influence of epidemiologic and laboratory surveillance data on treatment guidelines: Alberta, Canada 2001-2007
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Singh, A.E. and Plitt, S. and Boyington, C. and Sutherland, K. and Lovgren, M. and Tilley, P. and Read, R.
DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e3181aad9df
2009

Surveillance of mosquito-borne viruses in alberta using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with generic primers
Journal of Medical Entomology
Pabbaraju, K. and Ho, K.C.F. and Wong, S. and Fox, J.D. and Kaplen, B. and Tyler, S. and Drebot, M. and Tilley, P.A.G.
DOI: 10.1603/033.046.0332
2009

Molecular characterization of syphilis in patients in Canada: Azithromycin resistance and detection of Treponema pallidum DNA in whole-blood samples versus ulcerative swabs
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Martin, I.E. and Tsang, R.S.W. and Sutherland, K. and Tilley, P. and Read, R. and Anderson, B. and Roy, C. and Singh, A.E.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02392-08
2009

Microfluidic device for dielectrophoresis manipulation and electrodisruption of respiratory pathogen Bordetella pertussis
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
De La Rosa, C. and Tilley, P.A. and Fox, J.D. and Kaler, K.V.I.S.
DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2008.923148
2008

Cost effectiveness of enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot testing for the diagnosis of syphilis
International Journal of STD and AIDS
Chuck, A. and Ohinmaa, A. and Tilley, P. and Singh, A. and Jacobs, P.
DOI: 10.1258/ijsa.2007.007272
2008

Comparison between the clinical and laboratory features of enterovirus and West Nile virus infections
Journal of Medical Virology
Middleton, J. and Lee, B.E. and Fox, J.D. and Tilley, P.A.G. and Robinson, J.L.
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21184
2008

Screening of organ and tissue donors for West Nile virus by nucleic acid amplification - A three year experience in Alberta
American Journal of Transplantation
Tilley, P.A.G. and Fox, J.D. and Lee, B. and Chui, L. and Preiksaitis, J.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02365.x
2008

Respiratory pathogens
Molecular Pathology in Clinical Practice
Fox, J.D. and Tilley, P.A.
DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-33227-7_41
2007

Integrated microfluidic systems for sample preparation and detection of respiratory pathogen Bordetella pertussis
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology - Proceedings
De La Rosa, C. and Prakash, R. and Tilley, P.A. and Fox, J.D. and Kaler, K.V.I.S.
DOI: 10.1109/IEMBS.2007.4353796
2007

External quality assessment of a DNA sequence-based scheme for epidemiological typing of Legionella pneumophila by an international network of laboratories
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Afshar, B. and Fry, N.K. and Bellamy, W. and Underwood, A.P. and Harrison, T.G. and Indra, A. and Deplano, A. and Soetens, O. and Tilley, P. and Bernard, K. and Bangsborg, J. and Nielsen, S. and Etienne, J. and Mentula, S. and Lück, P.C. and Franzin, L. and Scaturro, M. and Visca, P. and Amemura-Maekawa, J. and Mossong, J. and Bruin, J.P. and Van Der Zwaluw, K. and Caugant, D.A. and Marques, T. and Lindsay, D.S. and Blanco, S. and Pelaz, C. and Fendukly, F. and Herrmann, B. and Gaia, V. and Lai, S. and Benson, R.F.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00898-07
2007

Integrated microfluidic systems for sample preparation and detection of respiratory pathogen Bordetella pertussis.
Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conference
de la Rosa, C. and Prakash, R. and Tilley, P.A. and Fox, J.D. and Kaler, K.V.
2007

Maculopapular rash and tremor are associated with West Nile fever and neurological syndromes
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
Tilley, P.A.G. and Fox, J.D. and Jayaraman, G.C. and Preiksaitis, J.K.
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2006.107862
2007

Evaluation of real-time PCR for diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection
BMC Infectious Diseases
Knorr, L. and Fox, J.D. and Tilley, P.A.G. and Ahmed-Bentley, J.
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-6-62
2006

Use of sequence-based typing for investigation of a case of nosocomial legionellosis
Journal of Medical Microbiology
Wong, S. and Pabbaraju, K. and Burk, V.F. and Broukhanski, G.C. and Fox, J. and Louie, T. and Mah, M.W. and Bernard, K. and Tilley, P.A.G.
DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.46754-0
2006

Nucleic acid testing for West Nile virus RNA in plasma enhances rapid diagnosis of acute infection in symptomatic patients
Journal of Infectious Diseases
Tilley, P.A.G. and Fox, J.D. and Jayaraman, G.C. and Preiksaitis, J.K.
DOI: 10.1086/503577
2006

West Nile virus infection and conjunctival exposure [8]
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Fonseca, K. and Prince, G.D. and Bratvold, J. and Fox, J.D. and Pybus, M. and Preksaitis, J.K. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.3201/eid1110.040212
2005

The rash of West Nile virus infection
CMAJ. Canadian Medical Association Journal
Gorsche, R. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1041013
2005

Clinical utility of commercial enzyme immunoassays during the inaugural season of West Nile virus activity, Alberta, Canada
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Tilley, P.A.G. and Walle, R. and Chow, A. and Jayaraman, G.C. and Fonseca, K. and Drebot, M.A. and Preiksaitis, J. and Fox, J.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.43.9.4691-4695.2005
2005

West Nile virus detection and commercial assays [7]
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Tilley, P.A.G. and Zachary, G.A. and Walle, R. and Schnee, P.F.
DOI: 10.3201/eid1107.041149
2005

West Nile virus in Canadian blood donors
Transfusion
Cameron, C. and Reeves, J. and Antonishyn, N. and Tilley, P. and Alport, T. and Enrich, B. and Towns, D. and Lane, D. and Saldanha, J.
DOI: 10.1111/j.0041-1132.2005.04384.x
2005

A novel Shigella dysenteriae serovar isolated in Canada
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Melito, P.L. and Woodward, D.L. and Munro, J. and Walsh, J. and Foster, R. and Tilley, P. and Paccagnella, A. and Isaac-Renton, J. and Ismail, J. and Ng, L.K.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.43.2.740-744.2005
2005

Calgary experience with West Nile virus neurological syndrome during the late summer of 2003
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences
Sayao, A.-L. and Suchowersky, O. and Al-Khathaami, A. and Klassen, B. and Katz, N.R. and Sevick, R. and Tilley, P. and Fox, J. and Patry, D.
DOI: 10.1017/S031716710005383X
2004

Relative Versus Absolute Noncontagiousness of Respiratory Tuberculosis on Treatment
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Long, R. and Bochar, K. and Chomyc, S. and Talbot, J. and Barrie, J. and Kunimoto, D. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1086/502145
2003

Association between handling of pet treats and infection with Salmonella enterica serotype Newport expressing the AmpC ß-lactamase, CMY-2
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Pitout, J.D.D. and Reisbig, M.D. and Mulvey, M. and Chui, L. and Louie, M. and Crowe, L. and Church, D.L. and Elsayed, S. and Gregson, D. and Ahmed, R. and Tilley, P. and Hanson, N.D.
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.10.4578-4582.2003
2003

Detection of Bordetella pertussis in a clinical laboratory by culture, polymerase chain reaction, and direct fluorescent antibody staining; accuracy, and cost
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Tilley, P.A.G. and Kanchana, M.V. and Knight, I. and Blondeau, J. and Antonishyn, N. and Deneer, H.
DOI: 10.1016/S0732-8893(00)00117-6
2000

Detection of Mycobacterium-specific interferon-gamma-producing human T lymphocytes by flow cytometry
APMIS
Tilley, P.A.G. and Menon, J.N.
DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0463.2000.d01-6.x
2000

Bacteremia with acinetobacter species: Risk factors and prognosis in different clinical settings
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Tilley, P.A.G. and Roberts, F.J.
DOI: 10.1093/clinids/18.6.896
1994

Varicella-zoster virus antibody avidity and IgG-subclass patterns in children with recurrent chickenpox
Journal of Medical Virology
Junker, A.K. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890430204
1994

Three cases of relapsing fever associated with lakeside cabins in Idaho.
Canada communicable disease report = Relevé des maladies transmissibles au Canada
Tilley, P.A. and Azar, R. and Banerjee, S. and Bell, A.
1994

Interleukin-2 (r-IL-2)-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and their precursors express the VGO1 antigen
Journal of Clinical Immunology
Denegri, J.F. and Peterson, J. and Tilley, P.
DOI: 10.1007/BF00918668
1989

Research

Current Projects
Early and accurate diagnosis of respiratory and central nervous system infections can lead to improved outcomes and earlier discharges, yet identification methods for such diseases are commonly available for only a limited number of infectious agents. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has shown promise for detection of a huge range of human pathogens from biological samples. I have been involved as a co-investigator in a pilot study examining a new lab process for NGS for the comprehensive detection of bacterial and viral pathogens in pediatric respiratory and cerebrospinal fluid samples.

Grants

Principal Investigator R Hasan. Application of Next Generation Sequencing to the diagnosis of respiratory illness in critically ill children.

B.C. Children’s Hospital Telethon Grant Competition. $29,869 Sept 2012.