Demographic distribution and transmission potential of influenza A and 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 in pilgrims

Ahmed Ashshi; Esam Azhar; Ayman Johargy; Atif Asghar; Aiman Momenah; Abdulhafeez Turkestani; Saad Alghamdi; Ziad Memish; Ahmed Al-Ghamdi; Maha Alawi; Sherif El-Kafrawy; Mohomed Farouk; Steve Harakeh; Taha Kumosani; Hatim Makhdoum; Elie K Barbour

doi:10.3855/jidc.4204

Demographic distribution and transmission potential of influenza A and 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 in pilgrims

Authors

Ahmed Ashshi Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Esam Azhar Faculty of Applied Medical Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Ayman Johargy Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Atif Asghar Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Aiman Momenah Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Abdulhafeez Turkestani Preventive Medicine, Health Directorate, Makkah region, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Saad Alghamdi Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Ziad Memish Preventive Medicine Directorate, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Al-Ghamdi King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Maha Alawi Infection Control Unit, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Sherif El-Kafrawy Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mohomed Farouk Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Steve Harakeh Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Taha Kumosani Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Hatim Makhdoum Virology Unit, Jeddah Regional Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Elie K Barbour Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.4204

Keywords:

demographic distribution, Makkah pilgrims, influenza A H1N1

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization’s persistent reporting of global outbreaks of influenza A viruses, including the 2009 pandemic swine A H1N1 strain (H1N1pdm09), justified the targeted surveillance of pilgrims during their annual congregation that pools more than two million people from around 165 nations in a confined area of Makkah city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Methodology: A total of 1,600 pilgrims were included in the targeted surveillance of influenza A and the 2009 pandemic swine H1N1 strain in the Hajj (pilgrimage) season of 2010. Each pilgrim responded to a demographic and health questionnaire. Collected oropharyngeal swabs were analyzed by real-time PCR for influenza A viruses, and positive samples were further analyzed for the presence of H1N1pdm09. Fisher’s exact test was applied in the analysis of the significance of the distribution of influenza-positive pilgrims according to demographic characters.

Results: A total of 120 pilgrims (7.5%) tested positive for influenza A viruses by real-time PCR. Nine out of the 120 influenza-A-positive pilgrims (7.5%) were positive for H1N1pdm09. Demographics played a significant role in those pilgrims who tested positive for influenza A.

Conclusions: The detection of H1N1pdm09 in pilgrims at their port of entry to the KSA was alarming, due to the high potential of trans-boundary transmission. This situation necessitates the implementation of specific prevention and control programs to limit infection by influenza A viruses.

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Published

2014-09-12

How to Cite

Ashshi A, Azhar E, Johargy A, Asghar A, Momenah A, Turkestani A, Alghamdi S, Memish Z, Al-Ghamdi A, Alawi M, El-Kafrawy S, Farouk M, Harakeh S, Kumosani T, Makhdoum H, Barbour EK (2014) Demographic distribution and transmission potential of influenza A and 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 in pilgrims. J Infect Dev Ctries 8:1169–1175. doi: 10.3855/jidc.4204

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Issue

Vol. 8 No. 09: September 2014

Section

Original Articles

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