Meningococcal carriage among Hajj pilgrims, risk factors for carriage and records of vaccination: a study of pilgrims to Mecca.
OBJECTIVE: The Saudi government requires that all pilgrims receive a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before the Hajj. We conducted a study to determine the uptake of meningococcal vaccine and antibiotic use. We also investigated risk factors of meningococcal carriage and carriage of Neisseria meningitidis pathogenic serogroups A, C, W and Y. METHODS: A cross-sectional oropharyngeal carriage survey was conducted in 2973 Hajj pilgrims in September 2017. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) assay was used to identify N. meningitidis from the oropharyngeal swabs. A questionnaire investigated potential risk factors for carriage of N. meningitidis. RESULTS: Two thousand two hundred forty nine oropharyngeal swabs were obtained. The overall prevalence of carriage of N. meningitidis was 4.6% (95% CI: 3.4%-6%). Carriage of pathogenic serogroups was not associated significantly with any of the meningococcal risk factors evaluated. 77% of pilgrims were vaccinated but 22.58 % said they were carrying unofficial vaccination cards. CONCLUSION: Carriage of serogroups A, C, W and Y was not significantly associated with any of the risk factors investigated. Almost a quarter of pilgrims were unlikely to have been vaccinated, highlighting a need to strengthen compliance with the current policy of vaccination to prevent meningococcal disease outbreaks during and after the Hajj.
Item Type | Article |
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Elements ID | 155054 |
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Read more research from the creator(s):
- Alasmari, Abrar K
- Greenwood, Brian M
- Heymann, David L
- Edwards, P
- Larson, Heidi J
- Behrens, Ron H
- Bustinduy, Amaya L
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- Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Dept of Disease Control
- Dept of Population Health (2012- )
- Dept of Clinical Research
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