Volume 2, Issue 9 (Winter 1999)
J Arak Uni Med Sci 1999, 2(9): 14-20 |
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Hekmat Pou D. Bacteria and Viruses that Cause Respiratory Tract Infections during the Pilgrimage (Haj) season in Makkah , Saudi Arabia. J Arak Uni Med Sci 1999; 2 (9) :14-20
URL: http://jams.arakmu.ac.ir/article-1-6597-en.html
URL: http://jams.arakmu.ac.ir/article-1-6597-en.html
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
Abstract: (3891 Views)
This research has conducted to determine the incidence and type of RTI causing bacteria and viruses during a period of epidemic infections. A total of 395 sputum specimens and 761 throat swabs were collected during the 1991 and 1992 pilgrimage seasons (Haj to Makkah Al- Mukarama, Saudi Arabia) from patients referred to one hospital and three dispensaries with symptoms of repiratory tract infections. All 761 throat swabs of both Haj seasons were also screened for the presence of viral pathogens with monoclonal antibodies specific for 7 viruses known to cause repiratory infections. Bacterial pathogens were detected in 118 (29.9%) specimens. During the 1991 Haj season Haemophilus influenza was the most frequent bacterial pathogen detected (10%), followed by klebsiella pneumonia (5.2%), Streptococcus Pneumoniae (4.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (3.8%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (2.4%). In the 1992 Haj Season Klebsiella pneumona was predominant (15.1%), folloed by Haemophilus influenza and Streptocococcus pneumonia (12.3%) Screening of all sputum specimens for acid-fast bacteria showed that the overall incidence rate of tuberculosis was 1%. Cultures from the 761 throat swabs were largely negative for bacteria except for Streptococcus Pyogene isolated from 7 patients. Viruses were deyected in 148 (19.5%) specimens with influenza A and adenovirus being the most common viruses. The pattern of virus prevalence in the 1991 and 1992 pilgrimage seasons was identical: influenza A and adenovirus predominated. Thus these two viruses should be targeted in future prophylactic measures.
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