Background

The Grand Magal of Touba is the largest Muslim pilgrimage in Senegal with a potential for infectious disease transmission.

Methods

Clinical follow-up, adherence to preventive measures and qPCR-based respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens carriage pre- and post-Magal, were assessed.

Results

110 pilgrims from South Senegal were included. The duration of stay in Touba was 3 days. 41.8% and 14.5% pilgrims reported respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. Most individuals having the onset of symptoms during their stay in Touba, or soon after returning. The acquisition of rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and adenovirus was 13.0, 16.7 and 4.6% respectively and that of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae was 3.7% and 26.9%.

Acquisition of gastrointestinal viruses and parasites was low, while bacterial acquisition ranged from 2.2% for Campylobacter jejuni to 33.0% for enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Conclusion

This preliminary study confirms that Grand Magal pilgrims are likely to be exposed to communicable disease risk as observed in other pilgrimage settings. Further study including larger numbers of pilgrims are needed to investigate potential risk factors for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections at the Grand Magal.

中文翻译：

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2017 年塞内加尔 Grand Magal de Touba 的呼吸道和胃肠道感染：一项前瞻性队列调查。

背景

图巴的大法师是塞内加尔最大的穆斯林朝圣地，有可能传播传染病。

方法

评估了 Magal 前后的临床随访、预防措施的遵守情况以及基于 qPCR 的呼吸道和胃肠道病原体携带情况。

结果

包括来自塞内加尔南部的 110 名朝圣者。在图巴停留的时间为 3 天。41.8% 和 14.5% 的朝圣者报告有呼吸道和胃肠道症状。大多数人在图巴逗留期间或返回后不久出现症状。鼻病毒、冠状病毒和腺病毒的获得率分别为13.0%、16.7%和4.6%，肺炎链球菌和流感嗜血杆菌的获得率分别为3.7%和26.9%。

胃肠道病毒和寄生虫的获取率较低，而细菌获取率从空肠弯曲杆菌的 2.2% 到肠病原性大肠杆菌的 33.0%不等。

结论

这项初步研究证实，与在其他朝圣环境中观察到的一样，Grand Magal 朝圣者很可能面临传染病风险。需要包括更多朝圣者在内的进一步研究，以调查 Grand Magal 呼吸道和胃肠道感染的潜在危险因素。