Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, full page: (LINK). Abstract, edited.]
Circulation of respiratory viruses among pilgrims during the 2012 Hajj pilgrimage
Samir Benkouiten 1,2, R?mi Charrel 2,3, Khadidja Belhouchat 1, Tassadit Drali 1, Nicolas Salez 2,3, Antoine Nougairede 2,3, Christine Zandotti 2,3, Ziad A. Memish 4,5, Malak al Masri 4, Catherine Gaillard 2, Philippe Parola 1,2, Philippe Brouqui 1,2,**, and Philippe Gautret 1,2,*
Author Affiliations: <SUP>1</SUP>Aix Marseille Universit?, Unit? de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), Unit? Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 63, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 7278, Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD) 198, Institut National de la Sant? Et de la Recherche M?dicale (INSERM) 1095, 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>2</SUP>Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire M?diterran?e Infection, 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>3</SUP>UMR_D 190 ?Emergence des Pathologies Virales?, Aix Marseille Universit?, Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sant? Publique (EHESP), 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>4</SUP>Public Health Directorate, Saudi Ministry of Health, WHO Collaborating Center for Mass Gathering Medicine, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia <SUP>5</SUP>College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding author: Philippe Gautret, philippe.gautret@club-internet.fr, Tel.: +33 (0)491 96 35 35/36; fax: +33 (0)491 96 89 38
** Alternate corresponding author: Philippe Brouqui, philippe.brouqui@univ-amu.fr, Tel.: +33 (0)491 32 43 75; fax: +33 (0)491 38 77 72
Abstract
Background.
The Hajj is the oldest and largest annual mass gathering in the world and may increase the risk of spreading respiratory viruses.
Methods.
We performed a prospective survey among a cohort of pilgrims departing from Marseille, France, to Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the 2012 Hajj season. Nasal swabs were collected from participants and tested for 11 respiratory viruses by real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR).
Results.
Of 165 participants sampled before departing to the KSA, eight (4.8%) were positive for at least one virus (five rhinovirus, one influenza C, one adenovirus, and one enterovirus). Seventy symptomatic pilgrims underwent additional nasal swabs during their pilgrimage in the KSA, of which 27 (38.6%) were positive for at least one virus (19 rhinovirus, six influenza A, one influenza C, one respiratory syncytial virus B, one metapneumovirus, one adenovirus, and one enterovirus). This was significantly higher than the 4.8% who were positive before departing for the KSA (P<.001). Of 154 pilgrims sampled before leaving the KSA, 17 (11%) were positive for at least one virus (13 rhinovirus, three adenovirus, two influenza B, and one enterovirus), which was also significantly higher than the percentage of positive pilgrims (4.8%), before departing for the KSA (P=.040).
Conclusions.
This study suggests a rapid acquisition of respiratory viruses among pilgrims during their stay in the KSA, most notably rhinovirus, and highlights the potential of spreading these infections in the pilgrims' home countries upon their return.
Received May 14, 2013. Accepted June 24, 2013.
? The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Circulation of respiratory viruses among pilgrims during the 2012 Hajj pilgrimage
Samir Benkouiten 1,2, R?mi Charrel 2,3, Khadidja Belhouchat 1, Tassadit Drali 1, Nicolas Salez 2,3, Antoine Nougairede 2,3, Christine Zandotti 2,3, Ziad A. Memish 4,5, Malak al Masri 4, Catherine Gaillard 2, Philippe Parola 1,2, Philippe Brouqui 1,2,**, and Philippe Gautret 1,2,*
Author Affiliations: <SUP>1</SUP>Aix Marseille Universit?, Unit? de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), Unit? Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 63, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 7278, Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD) 198, Institut National de la Sant? Et de la Recherche M?dicale (INSERM) 1095, 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>2</SUP>Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire M?diterran?e Infection, 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>3</SUP>UMR_D 190 ?Emergence des Pathologies Virales?, Aix Marseille Universit?, Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sant? Publique (EHESP), 13005, Marseille, France <SUP>4</SUP>Public Health Directorate, Saudi Ministry of Health, WHO Collaborating Center for Mass Gathering Medicine, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia <SUP>5</SUP>College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding author: Philippe Gautret, philippe.gautret@club-internet.fr, Tel.: +33 (0)491 96 35 35/36; fax: +33 (0)491 96 89 38
** Alternate corresponding author: Philippe Brouqui, philippe.brouqui@univ-amu.fr, Tel.: +33 (0)491 32 43 75; fax: +33 (0)491 38 77 72
Abstract
Background.
The Hajj is the oldest and largest annual mass gathering in the world and may increase the risk of spreading respiratory viruses.
Methods.
We performed a prospective survey among a cohort of pilgrims departing from Marseille, France, to Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the 2012 Hajj season. Nasal swabs were collected from participants and tested for 11 respiratory viruses by real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR).
Results.
Of 165 participants sampled before departing to the KSA, eight (4.8%) were positive for at least one virus (five rhinovirus, one influenza C, one adenovirus, and one enterovirus). Seventy symptomatic pilgrims underwent additional nasal swabs during their pilgrimage in the KSA, of which 27 (38.6%) were positive for at least one virus (19 rhinovirus, six influenza A, one influenza C, one respiratory syncytial virus B, one metapneumovirus, one adenovirus, and one enterovirus). This was significantly higher than the 4.8% who were positive before departing for the KSA (P<.001). Of 154 pilgrims sampled before leaving the KSA, 17 (11%) were positive for at least one virus (13 rhinovirus, three adenovirus, two influenza B, and one enterovirus), which was also significantly higher than the percentage of positive pilgrims (4.8%), before departing for the KSA (P=.040).
Conclusions.
This study suggests a rapid acquisition of respiratory viruses among pilgrims during their stay in the KSA, most notably rhinovirus, and highlights the potential of spreading these infections in the pilgrims' home countries upon their return.
Received May 14, 2013. Accepted June 24, 2013.
? The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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