Viral respiratory infections at the Hajj: Comparison between UK and Saudi pilgrims

H. Rashid; S. Shafi; E. Haworth; H. El Bashir; Z. A. Memish; M. Sudhanva; M. Smith; H. Auburn; R. Booy

doi:10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x

Viral respiratory infections at the Hajj: Comparison between UK and Saudi pilgrims

H. Rashid^*, S. Shafi, E. Haworth, H. El Bashir, Z. A. Memish, M. Sudhanva, M. Smith, H. Auburn, R. Booy

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

91 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A high incidence of respiratory infection, including influenza, has been reported at the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reported rates of influenza have been higher among UK than among domestic pilgrims, but this could be explained by methodological differences among studies. Accordingly, the present study compared the frequencies of respiratory viruses among UK and Saudi pilgrims using the same study design. Pilgrims with upper respiratory tract symptoms were recruited from Mecca and the neighbouring valley Mina during the Hajj 2006. Nasal swabs were used for point-of-care influenza testing and real-time RT-PCR (rtRT-PCR) tests for influenza virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Of 260 pilgrims investigated, 150 were from the UK and 110 were Saudi; of these, 38 (25%) UK pilgrims and 14 (13%) Saudi pilgrims had respiratory infections detectable by rtRT-PCR (p0.01). In the UK group, there were 19 (13%) cases of rhinovirus infection, 15 (10%) cases of influenza virus infection, two (1%) cases of dual infections with influenza virus and rhinovirus, one (3%) case of parainfluenza virus infection, and one (1%) case of respiratory syncytial virus infection. Fifty-six (37%) UK pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, with the rates of influenza in the vaccinated and unvaccinated group being 7% and 14%, respectively (p0.19). In the Saudi group, there were three (3%) cases of rhinovirus infection and 11 (10%) cases of influenza. Only four (4%) Saudi pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, and none of these was infected with influenza virus. Overall, a significantly higher proportion of the UK pilgrims had detectable respiratory infections (25% vs. 13%, p 0.01). Influenza rates were similar in both groups, but the reported rates of influenza vaccination differed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	569-574
Number of pages	6
Journal	Clinical Microbiology and Infection
Volume	14
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x
Publication status	Published - Jun 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the British Hajj Delegation team, the European Hajj Mission and the staff of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Health Affairs for allowing us to run clinics with their teams, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for their logistic support. This study was funded by the UK Department of Health. RB has received financial support from vaccine producers, including CSL, Sanofi, GSK, Roche and Wyeth, to attend/present at scientific meetings; if fees were offered, these were placed in a university research account. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

Keywords

Hajj
Influenza
Pilg rims
Respiratory tract infections
Vaccination rates
Virus infections

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x

Cite this

@article{59945b4672c34d99b4a2d5d2a19aba5e,

title = "Viral respiratory infections at the Hajj: Comparison between UK and Saudi pilgrims",

abstract = "A high incidence of respiratory infection, including influenza, has been reported at the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reported rates of influenza have been higher among UK than among domestic pilgrims, but this could be explained by methodological differences among studies. Accordingly, the present study compared the frequencies of respiratory viruses among UK and Saudi pilgrims using the same study design. Pilgrims with upper respiratory tract symptoms were recruited from Mecca and the neighbouring valley Mina during the Hajj 2006. Nasal swabs were used for point-of-care influenza testing and real-time RT-PCR (rtRT-PCR) tests for influenza virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Of 260 pilgrims investigated, 150 were from the UK and 110 were Saudi; of these, 38 (25%) UK pilgrims and 14 (13%) Saudi pilgrims had respiratory infections detectable by rtRT-PCR (p0.01). In the UK group, there were 19 (13%) cases of rhinovirus infection, 15 (10%) cases of influenza virus infection, two (1%) cases of dual infections with influenza virus and rhinovirus, one (3%) case of parainfluenza virus infection, and one (1%) case of respiratory syncytial virus infection. Fifty-six (37%) UK pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, with the rates of influenza in the vaccinated and unvaccinated group being 7% and 14%, respectively (p0.19). In the Saudi group, there were three (3%) cases of rhinovirus infection and 11 (10%) cases of influenza. Only four (4%) Saudi pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, and none of these was infected with influenza virus. Overall, a significantly higher proportion of the UK pilgrims had detectable respiratory infections (25% vs. 13%, p 0.01). Influenza rates were similar in both groups, but the reported rates of influenza vaccination differed.",

keywords = "Hajj, Influenza, Pilg rims, Respiratory tract infections, Vaccination rates, Virus infections",

author = "H. Rashid and S. Shafi and E. Haworth and {El Bashir}, H. and Memish, {Z. A.} and M. Sudhanva and M. Smith and H. Auburn and R. Booy",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the British Hajj Delegation team, the European Hajj Mission and the staff of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Health Affairs for allowing us to run clinics with their teams, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for their logistic support. This study was funded by the UK Department of Health. RB has received financial support from vaccine producers, including CSL, Sanofi, GSK, Roche and Wyeth, to attend/present at scientific meetings; if fees were offered, these were placed in a university research account. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.",

year = "2008",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

pages = "569--574",

journal = "Clinical Microbiology and Infection",

issn = "1198-743X",

publisher = "wiley",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Viral respiratory infections at the Hajj

T2 - Comparison between UK and Saudi pilgrims

AU - Rashid, H.

AU - Shafi, S.

AU - Haworth, E.

AU - El Bashir, H.

AU - Memish, Z. A.

AU - Sudhanva, M.

AU - Smith, M.

AU - Auburn, H.

AU - Booy, R.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the British Hajj Delegation team, the European Hajj Mission and the staff of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Health Affairs for allowing us to run clinics with their teams, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for their logistic support. This study was funded by the UK Department of Health. RB has received financial support from vaccine producers, including CSL, Sanofi, GSK, Roche and Wyeth, to attend/present at scientific meetings; if fees were offered, these were placed in a university research account. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

PY - 2008/6

Y1 - 2008/6

N2 - A high incidence of respiratory infection, including influenza, has been reported at the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reported rates of influenza have been higher among UK than among domestic pilgrims, but this could be explained by methodological differences among studies. Accordingly, the present study compared the frequencies of respiratory viruses among UK and Saudi pilgrims using the same study design. Pilgrims with upper respiratory tract symptoms were recruited from Mecca and the neighbouring valley Mina during the Hajj 2006. Nasal swabs were used for point-of-care influenza testing and real-time RT-PCR (rtRT-PCR) tests for influenza virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Of 260 pilgrims investigated, 150 were from the UK and 110 were Saudi; of these, 38 (25%) UK pilgrims and 14 (13%) Saudi pilgrims had respiratory infections detectable by rtRT-PCR (p0.01). In the UK group, there were 19 (13%) cases of rhinovirus infection, 15 (10%) cases of influenza virus infection, two (1%) cases of dual infections with influenza virus and rhinovirus, one (3%) case of parainfluenza virus infection, and one (1%) case of respiratory syncytial virus infection. Fifty-six (37%) UK pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, with the rates of influenza in the vaccinated and unvaccinated group being 7% and 14%, respectively (p0.19). In the Saudi group, there were three (3%) cases of rhinovirus infection and 11 (10%) cases of influenza. Only four (4%) Saudi pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, and none of these was infected with influenza virus. Overall, a significantly higher proportion of the UK pilgrims had detectable respiratory infections (25% vs. 13%, p 0.01). Influenza rates were similar in both groups, but the reported rates of influenza vaccination differed.

AB - A high incidence of respiratory infection, including influenza, has been reported at the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reported rates of influenza have been higher among UK than among domestic pilgrims, but this could be explained by methodological differences among studies. Accordingly, the present study compared the frequencies of respiratory viruses among UK and Saudi pilgrims using the same study design. Pilgrims with upper respiratory tract symptoms were recruited from Mecca and the neighbouring valley Mina during the Hajj 2006. Nasal swabs were used for point-of-care influenza testing and real-time RT-PCR (rtRT-PCR) tests for influenza virus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Of 260 pilgrims investigated, 150 were from the UK and 110 were Saudi; of these, 38 (25%) UK pilgrims and 14 (13%) Saudi pilgrims had respiratory infections detectable by rtRT-PCR (p0.01). In the UK group, there were 19 (13%) cases of rhinovirus infection, 15 (10%) cases of influenza virus infection, two (1%) cases of dual infections with influenza virus and rhinovirus, one (3%) case of parainfluenza virus infection, and one (1%) case of respiratory syncytial virus infection. Fifty-six (37%) UK pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, with the rates of influenza in the vaccinated and unvaccinated group being 7% and 14%, respectively (p0.19). In the Saudi group, there were three (3%) cases of rhinovirus infection and 11 (10%) cases of influenza. Only four (4%) Saudi pilgrims had been vaccinated against influenza virus, and none of these was infected with influenza virus. Overall, a significantly higher proportion of the UK pilgrims had detectable respiratory infections (25% vs. 13%, p 0.01). Influenza rates were similar in both groups, but the reported rates of influenza vaccination differed.

KW - Hajj

KW - Influenza

KW - Pilg rims

KW - Respiratory tract infections

KW - Vaccination rates

KW - Virus infections

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=43149100340&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.01987.x

M3 - Article

C2 - 18373688

AN - SCOPUS:43149100340

SN - 1198-743X

VL - 14

SP - 569

EP - 574

JO - Clinical Microbiology and Infection

JF - Clinical Microbiology and Infection

IS - 6

ER -

Viral respiratory infections at the Hajj: Comparison between UK and Saudi pilgrims

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this