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Mandating influenza vaccine for Hajj pilgrims

2016; Elsevier BV; Volume: 16; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s1473-3099(16)30064-0

1474-4457

Mohammad Alfelali, Amani S. Alqahtani, Osamah Barasheed, Robert Booy, Harunor Rashid,

Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology

The risk of acquisition and transmission of respiratory tract infections including influenza is considerably enhanced among attendees of the Hajj pilgrimage. 1 Gautret P Benkouiten S Al-Tawfiq JA Memish ZA Hajj-associated viral respiratory infections: a systematic review. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2016; 14: 92-109 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (56) Google Scholar Influenza vaccine has been recommended by the Saudi Ministry of Health since 2005 for all pilgrims, particularly for those at increased risk of severe disease. 2 WHOHealth conditions for travellers to Saudi Arabia pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2005; 80: 431-432 PubMed Google Scholar The Saudi Ministry of Health is now seriously considering mandating influenza vaccine for all pilgrims, 3 Arab NewsMoH starts nationwide flu vaccination. http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/819111Date: Oct 12, 2015 Google Scholar and the Saudi Thoracic Society has already urged consideration of a "strict vaccination strategy" for Hajj and Umrah visitors. 4 Zeitouni MO Al Barrak AM Al-Moamary MS et al. The Saudi Thoracic Society guidelines for influenza vaccinations. Ann Thorac Med. 2015; 10: 223-230 PubMed Google Scholar Pooled estimates from observational studies indicate that influenza vaccine is effective against laboratory-proven influenza among Hajj pilgrims. 5 Alqahtani AS Rashid H Heywood AE Vaccinations against respiratory tract infections at Hajj. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2015; 21: 115-127 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar A more stringent policy to ensure vaccination is justified, but the challenges of such measures need to be carefully considered before making a compulsory recommendation for all Hajj pilgrims. Influenza vaccine for international mass gatheringsWe agree with Mohammad Alfelali and colleagues1 that influenza vaccination is highly recommended for Hajj pilgrims. However, the Hajj is not the only mass gathering at which influenza outbreaks have been reported.2 Similarly, outbreaks were recorded during the World Youth Day in July 2008 in Sydney, Australia, during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 at the Itzapalapa Passion Play in Mexico, and at three major outdoor music festivals in Europe, including the Sziget festival in Hungary, the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium, and the Exit festival in Serbia. Full-Text PDF