High risk groups should take precautions against Pneumococcal disease during mass gatherings

With the Hajj pilgrimage only a month away, doctors are urging travelers as well as residents in KSA to adopt preventive measures well in advance to avoid pneumococcal disease.

Mass gatherings are associated with the spread of infectious disease. The incidence rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be 17.4% per 100,000 of the population, with a fatality ratio of 15 to 20% among elderly adults.

 Pilgrims should undertake precautionary measures against pneumonia, meningitis, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, viral infections, community-acquired pneumonia, polio virus, blood borne diseases, food poisoning and zoonotic diseases, which can lead to hospitalization and further fatalities.

Some factors that contribute to the spread of these pathogens include proximity between pilgrims, shared accommodation, and dust in the environment. 

Pneumococcal disease can be a serious threat, with individuals who carry S. pneumonia bacterium in their nasal passages, potentially exposing others to the risk of developing the disease through close contact via respiratory droplets that are sneezed, coughed, or exhaled.  This can increase the risk of transmission of other diseases, for instance pulmonary tuberculosis is a leading cause of hospital admission in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

“Mass gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah provide the ideal overcrowded conditions for the transmission of infections. Therefore adult vaccination against pneumococcal disease conditions like meningitis, respiratory infections and pneumonia, can save lives and prevent these infections from spreading and potentially taking on epidemic proportions. There is a definite need to raise awareness on pneumococcal disease and importance of vaccination to help reduce the high number of hospitalizations in the country” said Dr. Nezar Bahabri, Director for Saudi Society for Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Infectious disease Consultant at Soliman Al Fakeeh Hospital

Age is a primary risk factor for pneumococcal disease, and as the world’s population ages, the number of people at risk for pneumococcal infection grows. Pneumococcal disease is also associated with significant personal and societal costs if preventive measures are not adopted in time.

The Health Ministry and local authorities in KSA have established facilities to ensure travelers can have access to vaccination facilities. Doctors work with each patient individually to ascertain the best course of vaccination to be undertaken.