Alandijany Thamir A, Qashqari Fadi S, Alfelali Mohammad, Hariri Sumyya H, Hassan Ahmed M, Faizo Arwa A, Khairo Yusuf M, Qashqari Hanin A, Bahareth Elaf M, Bajodah Abdullah A, Saeedi Abdullah F, Garout Raed M, El-Kafrawy Sherif A, Azhar Esam I
Special Infectious Agents Unit BSL-3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
IJID Reg. 2024 Sep 2;13:100439. doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100439. eCollection 2024 Dec.
This study investigated the presence of COVID-19 cases among pilgrims, health care workers (HCWs), and non-HCWs of Hajj 2022.
Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from 491 attendees of Hajj 2022. All participants received three doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Paired (n = 138; 69 participants) and unpaired (n = 422; 422 participants) nasopharyngeal swabs were subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction targeting E gene of β-coronaviruses and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2. The results were linked to the participants' profiles, including role during Hajj, presence of respiratory symptoms or comorbidities, contact with symptomatic individuals, smoking status, and COVID-19 recovery.
A total of 20 (20 of 560; 3.6%) samples tested positive for COVID-19. Most cases (18 of 20; 90%) were pilgrims and non-HCWs. Six (30%) samples belonged to participants with previous positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. A total of 12 (60%) samples belonged to participants with respiratory symptoms. Three (15%) cases were linked to participants who had contact with individuals with respiratory symptoms. All cases belonged to individuals with no comorbidities, apart from a single case who has a chronic sinusitis. Five (25%) cases were smokers. No significant association was found between positive COVID-19 test and participants' profiles.
Few COVID-19 cases were detected in this study. Sustainable surveillance of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses during Hajj seasons remains necessary.
本研究调查了2022年朝觐的朝圣者、医护人员（HCW）和非医护人员中新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）病例的存在情况。
从2022年朝觐的491名参与者中采集鼻咽样本。所有参与者均接种了三剂COVID-19疫苗。对配对（n = 138；69名参与者）和非配对（n = 422；422名参与者）的鼻咽拭子进行逆转录聚合酶链反应，靶向β冠状病毒的E基因和严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的RNA依赖性RNA聚合酶。结果与参与者的个人资料相关联，包括朝觐期间的角色、呼吸道症状或合并症的存在、与有症状个体的接触、吸烟状况以及COVID-19康复情况。
共有20份（560份中的20份；3.6%）样本COVID-19检测呈阳性。大多数病例（20份中的18份；90%）是朝圣者和非医护人员。6份（30%）样本属于先前逆转录聚合酶链反应呈阳性的参与者。共有12份（60%）样本属于有呼吸道症状的参与者。3例（15%）与接触过呼吸道症状个体的参与者有关。除1例患有慢性鼻窦炎外，所有病例均属于无合并症的个体。5例（25%）是吸烟者。COVID-19检测阳性与参与者的个人资料之间未发现显著关联。
本研究中检测到的COVID-19病例较少。在朝觐季节对COVID-19和其他呼吸道病毒进行持续监测仍然很有必要。
