Environmental surface sampling of respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens during the 2022–2023 Grand Magal of Touba

IF 4.7 3区医学 Q1 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Journal of Infection and Public Health Pub Date : 2025-02-19 DOI:10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102710

Ihssane Ouaddane , Coumba Diouf , Georges Diatta , Cheikh Sokhna , Philippe Gautret

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Abstract

Background

The Grand Magal of Touba (GMT) pilgrimage is known to be associated with risks of infection, but no studies on the role microbial contamination of the environment has been conducted yet.

Materials and methods

We sampled pilgrims and surfaces in the houses where they were accommodated during the 2022–2023 GMT. Respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens were tested by qPCR.

Results

Of the 152 surfaces sampled, 10.5 % tested positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae, 5.9 % for Staphylococcus aureus, 16.4 % for SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2), 3.9 % for Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 0.6 % for rhinovirus. Only Escherichia coli was positive out of all the gastrointestinal pathogens tested, with enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) (23.7 %), and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (22.4 %) being the most frequent. Of 71 pilgrims tested, 66.2 % acquired a respiratory pathogen, including 16.9 % Haemophilus spp., 7.0 % SARS-CoV-2, 11.3 % Streptococcus pneumoniae, 5.6 % Staphylococcus aureus, 1.4 % rhinovirus, and 2.8 % influenza virus. A further 23.9 % acquired a gastrointestinal pathogen, including EAEC (18.3 %), EPEC (2.8 %), Giardia lamblia (5.6 %) and EIEC/Shigella (2.8 %).

Conclusion

These preliminary results showed a good correlation between results of surface sampling and human infection for SARS-CoV-2 and EAEC. SARS-CoV-2 surface sampling could be used as a surveillance tool during the GMT. Further larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

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来源期刊

Journal of Infection and Public Health PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH -INFECTIOUS DISEASES

CiteScore

13.10

自引率

1.50%

发文量

203

审稿时长

96 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Infection and Public Health, first official journal of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and the Saudi Association for Public Health, aims to be the foremost scientific, peer-reviewed journal encompassing infection prevention and control, microbiology, infectious diseases, public health and the application of healthcare epidemiology to the evaluation of health outcomes. The point of view of the journal is that infection and public health are closely intertwined and that advances in one area will have positive consequences on the other. The journal will be useful to all health professionals who are partners in the management of patients with communicable diseases, keeping them up to date. The journal is proud to have an international and diverse editorial board that will assist and facilitate the publication of articles that reflect a global view on infection control and public health, as well as emphasizing our focus on supporting the needs of public health practitioners. It is our aim to improve healthcare by reducing risk of infection and related adverse outcomes by critical review, selection, and dissemination of new and relevant information in the field of infection control, public health and infectious diseases in all healthcare settings and the community.