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AlBahrani S, AlZahrani SJ, Al-Maqati TN, Almehbash A, Alshammari A, Bujlai R, Ba Taweel S, Almasabi F, AlAmari A, Al-Tawfiq JA. Dynamic Patterns and Predominance of Respiratory Pathogens Post-COVID-19: Insights from a Two-Year Analysis. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2024; 14:311-318. [PMID: 38589755 PMCID: PMC11176149 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-024-00213-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) stand out as the most frequent causes leading to visits to the emergency department and hospitalizations. This study aims to assess the types and prevalence of respiratory infections across two years following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Patients presenting with an influenza-like illness (ILI) were tested using multiplex RT-PCR (QIAstat-Dx, Qiagen). The multiplexed RT- PCR test detects 21 respiratory viruses and bacteria. RESULTS During the study period, PCR test was done on a total of 1,790 samples were tested, and 712 (40%) were positive for a total of 796 pathogens. The mean age (± SD) of the participants was 20.1 ± 28.4 years in 2022 and 21.9 ± 27.6 years in 2023. Among the detected pathogens, the most prevalent were Rhinovirus/Enterovirus 222 (12.4%), followed by RSV A&B (103 cases, 5.7%), and H1N1 Influenza (77 cases, 4.3%). Additionally, Influenza A/B constituted 172 (9.6%) while parainfluenza constituted (58, 3.2%). SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 3.97% of the samples. Over the two-year period, the monthly pattern of the identified pathogens exhibited fluctuations in the prevalence. Furthermore, variations were observed in the detected pathogens across different age groups. CONCLUSION In addition to adding significant knowledge to the field of respiratory viral infections, this study emphasizes the necessity of ongoing research and surveillance for the detection and characterization of respiratory viruses, particularly those with the potential for emergence. Such studies would also require setting up a strategy for genotyping and/or sequencing of viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma AlBahrani
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- College of medicine-Imam Abdulrahaman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Thekra N Al-Maqati
- Department of Clinical laboratory Science, Prince Sultan Military College of health science, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Atheer Almehbash
- Molecular laboratory department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anfal Alshammari
- Molecular laboratory department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Refan Bujlai
- Molecular laboratory department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Ba Taweel
- Molecular laboratory department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fares Almasabi
- Radiology Department, Armed Forces Hospital Najran, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah AlAmari
- Department of pharmacy, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia.
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Wicaksana AL, Hertanti NS. A scoping review of Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca: Mapping the health concerns and proposed solutions. Public Health Nurs 2024; 41:487-502. [PMID: 38468445 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To map the current evidence about the health concerns and the potential solutions related to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. DESIGN A scoping review was applied. Papers published in English between 2012 and 2023 were included but non-human research and sources without any related data were excluded. Data charting and extraction were used to map the current evidence. RESULTS The total of 36 papers were included with the total number of pilgrims of 17,075,887. The majority of studies were published in the Asia Pacific region (36.11%) as original articles (88.89%). The health concerns were grouped into five main aspects. There were 7603 deaths recorded or about 44 incidences of deaths per 100,000 pilgrims during the pilgrimage. There were recorded 11,018; 6178; 3393; and 17,810 cases for communicable diseases; non-communicable diseases; injuries and trauma; and health services (i.e., cardiac catheterization) and vaccination, respectively. CONCLUSION Relating to the five health concerns, this study identified the top seven issues in each category (i.e., hypertension, influenza vaccination), except for the death record. Moreover, there were three solutions (for general health, non- and communicable-diseases) presented. Stakeholders could use this evidence to improve healthcare quality particularly related to the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anggi Lukman Wicaksana
- Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- The Sleman Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Nuzul Sri Hertanti
- School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Center for Tropical Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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3
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Alandijany TA. Respiratory viral infections during Hajj seasons. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17 Suppl 1:42-48. [PMID: 37085376 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory viral infections pose a public health concern during mass gathering (MG) events. Sustainable and continuous surveillance of respiratory viruses remains a priority to early identify and prevent potential outbreaks. This article reviews recent literature addressed the prevalence and diversity of circulating respiratory viruses during Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest planned religious MG events held annually in Saudi Arabia. The variation between studies with respect to study design, sample size, time of sample collection (pre-, during, and pos-Hajj), type of participants (e.g., symptomatic vs. a symptomatic pilgrims), and laboratory procedure was highlighted. The majority of these studies were conducted on the 2019 Hajj season or earlier, prior to the emergence of COVID-19 which had significant impact on the past three Hajj seasons (2020, 2021, and 2022). A summary about key aspects related to organization of Hajj during COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of exceptional infection control strategies is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamir A Alandijany
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
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El-Kafrawy SA, Alsayed SM, Faizo AA, Bajrai LH, Uthman NA, Alsaeed MS, Hassan AM, Alquthami KM, Alandijany TA, Zumla A, Azhar EI. Genetic diversity and molecular analysis of human influenza virus among pilgrims during Hajj. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23027. [PMID: 38163192 PMCID: PMC10755270 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The risk of transmission of respiratory tract infections is considerably enhanced at mass gathering (MG) religious events. Hajj is an annual Islamic MG event with approximately 3 million Muslim pilgrims from over 180 countries concentrated in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of influenza viruses circulating among pilgrims during the Hajj pilgrimage. We performed a cross-sectional analytical study where nasopharyngeal swabs (NPs) from pilgrims with respiratory tract illnesses presenting to healthcare facilities during the 2019 Hajj were screened for influenza viruses. Influenza A subtypes and influenza B lineages were determined by multiplex RT-PCR for positive influenza samples. The phylogenetic analysis was carried out for the hemagglutination (HA) gene. Out of 185 nasopharyngeal samples, 54 were positive for the human influenza virus. Of these, 27 were influenza A H1N1 and 19 H3N2, 4 were untypable influenza A, and 4 were influenza B. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the H1N1 and H3N2 strains differentiated into different and independent genetic groups and formed close clusters with selected strains of influenza viruses from various locations. To conclude, this study demonstrates a high genetic diversity of circulating influenza A subtypes among pilgrims during the Hajj Season. There is a need for further larger studies to investigate in-depth the genetic characteristics of influenza viruses and other respiratory viruses during Hajj seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif A. El-Kafrawy
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salma M. Alsayed
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arwa A. Faizo
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena H. Bajrai
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah A. Uthman
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moneerah S. Alsaeed
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M. Hassan
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Thamir A. Alandijany
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London Royal Free Campus, London WC1E 6DE, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London W1T 7DN, UK
| | - Esam I. Azhar
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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Mahdi HA, Alluhidan M, Almohammed AB, Alfelali M, Shaban RZ, Booy R, Rashid H. Epidemiological Differences in Hajj-Acquired Airborne Infections in Pilgrims Arriving from Low and Middle-Income versus High-Income Countries: A Systematised Review. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:418. [PMID: 37624356 PMCID: PMC10459586 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8080418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This systematised review aims to compare the epidemiological patterns of Hajj-acquired airborne infections among pilgrims from low and middle-income countries (LMIC) versus those from high-income countries (HIC). A PubMed search was carried out for all published articles before February 2023, using a combination of MeSH terms and text words. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess data quality. From a total of 453 titles identified, 58 studies were included in the review (LMIC = 32, and HIC = 26). In the pooled sample, there were 27,799 pilgrims aged 2 days to 105 years (male: female = 1.3:1) from LMIC and 70,865 pilgrims aged 2 months to 95 years (male: female = 1:1) from HIC. Pilgrims from both HIC and LMIC had viral and bacterial infections, but pilgrims from HIC tended to have higher attack rates of viral infections than their LMIC counterparts. However, the attack rates of bacterial infections were variable: for instance, pilgrims from LMIC seemed to have higher rates of meningococcal infections (0.015-82% in LMIC vs. 0.002-40% in HIC) based on the study population, but not Mycobacterium tuberculosis (0.7-20.3% in LMIC vs. 38% in HIC). Targeted measures are needed to prevent the spread of airborne infections at Hajj.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashim A. Mahdi
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Jeddah 23442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alluhidan
- General Directorate for National Health Economics and Policy, Saudi Health Council, Riyadh 13315, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammad Alfelali
- Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 25732, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramon Z. Shaban
- New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, New South Wales Ministry of Health, Westmead, NSW 2151, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Susan Wakil School of Nursing, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Public Health Unit, Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District, North Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Robert Booy
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Harunor Rashid
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
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Hui DS, Zumla A. Mass gathering events and transmission of respiratory tract infections: updates pre and post COVID-19 lockdown. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2023; 29:133-137. [PMID: 36876655 PMCID: PMC10090332 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article reviews the epidemiology and transmission of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) during mass gathering events (MGEs) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RECENT FINDINGS RTIs of viral cause such as influenza, rhinovirus and coronaviruses (229E, HKU1, OC43) are common in MGEs. No cases of MERS-CoV have yet been identified in pilgrims during Hajj, despite the fact that MERS-CoV continues to circulate in the Middle East. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of mass gathering religious and sporting events have implemented risk-based infection control measures and lockdowns that limited transmission of RTIs. SUMMARY Large-scale RTI outbreaks at MGEs are uncommon due to more robust public health planning, prevention, risk assessment and improved health infrastructures in host countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S.C. Hui
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics and Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Department of Infection, Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
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7
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Mahdi HA, Qashqari FS, Hariri SH, Bamerdah S, Altayyar SA, Almalki HM, Alwadani FA, Alabbasi RA, Alqahtani MH, Alfelali M, Shaban RZ, Booy R, Rashid H. Low Prevalence of Syndromic Respiratory Tract Infections among Returning Hajj Pilgrims Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Post-Hajj Survey. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7080182. [PMID: 36006274 PMCID: PMC9413585 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7080182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study estimates the point prevalence of symptomatic respiratory tract infections (RTIs) among returned Hajj pilgrims and their contacts in 2021. Using the computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) technique, domestic pilgrims were invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey two weeks after their home return from Hajj. Of 600 pilgrims approached, 79.3% agreed to participate and completed the survey. Syndromic definitions were used to clinically diagnose possible influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and COVID-19. Median with range was applied to summarise the continuous data, and frequencies and proportions were used to present the categorical variables. Simple logistic regression was carried out to assess the correlations of potential factors with the prevalence of RTIs. The majority of pilgrims (88.7%) reported receiving at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine before Hajj. Eleven (2.3%) pilgrims reported respiratory symptoms with the estimated prevalence of possible ILI being 0.2%, and of possible COVID-19 being 0.4%. Among those who were symptomatic, five (45.5%) reported that one or more of their close contacts had developed similar RTI symptoms after the pilgrims’ home return. The prevalence of RTIs among pilgrims who returned home after attending the Hajj 2021 was lower compared with those reported in the pre-pandemic studies; however, the risk of spread of infection among contacts following Hajj is still a concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashim A. Mahdi
- Public Health Department, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Jeddah 23442, Saudi Arabia
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Fadi S. Qashqari
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sumyya H. Hariri
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shahad Bamerdah
- Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Hazim M. Almalki
- Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fayez A. Alwadani
- Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | - Renan A. Alabbasi
- Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24381, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammad Alfelali
- Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 25732, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramon Z. Shaban
- New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District, North Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Robert Booy
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Harunor Rashid
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
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8
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El-Kafrawy SA, Alsayed SM, Alandijany TA, Bajrai LH, Faizo AA, Al-Sharif HA, Hassan AM, Alquthami KM, Al-Tawfiq JA, Zumla A, Azhar EI. High genetic diversity of human rhinovirus among pilgrims with acute respiratory tract infections during the 2019 Hajj pilgrimage season. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 121:130-137. [PMID: 35577249 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) due to human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are common in pilgrims during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of HRV among pilgrims with respiratory symptoms during Hajj 2019. METHODS HRV infection was detected using multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Cycle sequencing was performed on positive samples and the sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS A total of 19 HRV-positive respiratory samples were sequenced. All three serotypes of HRV were identified: HRV-A (13; 68.42%) was more common than HRV-B (2; 10.53%) and HRV-C (4; 21.05%). HRV-A species were found to be of genotypes A101, A21, A30, A57, A23, A60, and A11. HRV-B species belonged to genotypes B4 and B84, and HRV-C species were of genotypes C15, C3, and C56. CONCLUSION Sequencing studies of respiratory tract viruses in pilgrims are important. We provide preliminary evidence of high diversity of HRV genotypes circulating in pilgrims in a restricted area during Hajj. This requires further clinical and sequencing studies of viral pathogens in larger cohorts of overseas and local pilgrims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif A El-Kafrawy
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salma M Alsayed
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Al-Qunfudah Health Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 28821, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamir A Alandijany
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena H Bajrai
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Nursing, Faculty of Al-Qunfudah Health Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 28821, Saudi Arabia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arwa A Faizo
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hessa A Al-Sharif
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M Hassan
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid M Alquthami
- Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health, Makkah, 24241, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Infectious Disease Division, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Division of Infection and Immunity, Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London Royal Free Campus, London, WC1E 6DE, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, W1T 7DN, UK
| | - Esam I Azhar
- Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
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Shatizadeh Malekshahi S, Khani F, Shafiei-Jandaghi NZ, Shadab A, Mokhtari-Azad T, Yavarian J. Prevalence and Genotypes of Human Rhinoviruses among Iranian Hajj Pilgrims with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection. TANAFFOS 2022; 21:448-454. [PMID: 37583781 PMCID: PMC10423871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Hajj is one of the main challenges of public health and infection control. Hajj-associated respiratory tract infections are very common during the pilgrimage. Studies have shown that human rhinovirus (HRV) is one of the most common causes of respiratory illnesses among pilgrims. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genotypes of HRV among Iranian pilgrims with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) during the 2017 Hajj season. Materials and Methods Throat swabs or washes were collected from 104 pilgrims with SARI and transported to the National Influenza Center, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Specimens were screened for HRV by Nested PCR with primers for 5'UTR, and virus genotypes were determined using PCR with VP4-VP2 primers and sequencing method. Results Twenty-one cases were positive for HRV (20.19 %). The HRV species and types of 8 positive samples were: HRV-A21 (1/8, 12.5%), followed by HRV-B91 (3/8, 37.5%) and HRV-C (4/8, 50%) un-typed. Conclusion This study showed that HRV has a high prevalence in Iranian Hajj pilgrims. As there is no vaccine or antiviral therapy for HRV, prevention methods are the best way for infection control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fariba Khani
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Azadeh Shadab
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Talat Mokhtari-Azad
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jila Yavarian
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Antibiotic Stewardship and Antimicrobial Resistance, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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COVID-19 and other respiratory tract infections at mass gathering religious and sporting events. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2022; 28:192-198. [PMID: 35102092 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Mass gathering (MG) religious events provide ideal conditions for transmission and globalization of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). We review recent literature on COVID-19 and other RTIs at recurring international annual MG religious and sporting events. RECENT FINDINGS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic organizers of MG religious and sporting events introduced risk-based infection control measures that limited transmission of RTIs. The 2020 and 2021 Hajj were conducted with limited numbers of pilgrims compared to the annual millions of pilgrims. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were cancelled and held in 2021. The success of the COVID-19 countermeasures at the 2021 Hajj and 2021 Tokyo Olympics was based on implementing good public health and social measures alongside a comprehensive testing strategy. SUMMARY MG events are associated with transmission of a range of bacterial and viral RTIs. Introducing risk based a multitude of public health interventions can reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other RTIs.
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