Respiratory Viruses and Bacteria Among Pilgrims During the 2013 Hajj

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2014 Oct 24

PMID 25341199

Citations 66

Authors

Samir Benkouiten

Remi Charrel

Khadidja Belhouchat

Tassadit Drali

Antoine Nougairede

Nicolas Salez

Ziad A Memish

Malak Al Masri

Pierre-Edouard Fournier

Didier Raoult

Philippe Brouqui

Philippe Parola

Philippe Gautret

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pilgrims returning from the Hajj might contribute to international spreading of respiratory pathogens. Nasal and throat swab specimens were obtained from 129 pilgrims in 2013 before they departed from France and before they left Saudi Arabia, and tested by PCR for respiratory viruses and bacteria. Overall, 21.5% and 38.8% of pre-Hajj and post-Hajj specimens, respectively, were positive for ≥1 virus (p = 0.003). One third (29.8%) of the participants acquired ≥1 virus, particularly rhinovirus (14.0%), coronavirus E229 (12.4%), and influenza A(H3N2) virus (6.2%) while in Saudi Arabia. None of the participants were positive for the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. In addition, 50.0% and 62.0% of pre-Hajj and post-Hajj specimens, respectively, were positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae (p = 0.053). One third (36.3%) of the participants had acquired S. pneumoniae during their stay. Our results confirm high acquisition rates of rhinovirus and S. pneumoniae in pilgrims and highlight the acquisition of coronavirus E229.

Citing Articles

Detection of COVID-19 incidence among attendees of the 2022 Hajj season.

Alandijany T, Qashqari F, Alfelali M, Hariri S, Hassan A, Faizo A IJID Reg. 2024; 13:100439.

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Epidemiological Differences in Hajj-Acquired Airborne Infections in Pilgrims Arriving from Low and Middle-Income versus High-Income Countries: A Systematised Review.

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is Not Circulating Among Hajj Pilgrims.

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MERS-CoV seroconversion amongst Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East, 2016-2018: results from the MERCURIAL multiyear prospective cohort study.

Johari J, Hontz R, Pike B, Husain T, Rusli N, Mohd-Zain R Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023; 12(1):2208678.

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