title: [Epidemiology and risk factors associated with religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Results of a prospective cohort 2008-2009].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, or Hajj, is a basic tenet of the Islamic doctrine and, after Ramadan, annually represents the largest human concentration (with up to 5% of from the EU) around the world. Such a gathering entails health risks.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study was conducted of a cohort of pilgrims attended for pre-travel preventive activities in the North Metropolitan International Health Unit (Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Spain) from 2009-2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 193 pilgrims were assessed and 135 (69.9%) were men. Their mean age (SD) was 37.1 (16.9) years. Among the pilgrims, 176 (91.2%) were immigrants, mainly from Pakistan (54.9%), Morocco (29%), Bangladesh (4.1%) or other countries (7.2%). The pilgrims stayed in Saudi Arabia a mean (SD) of 16.3 (9.2) days. Eighty (41.5%) opted for the 1 month-long pilgrimage (Hajj) and 113 (58.5%) for the shorter Umra. One or more pathological antecedent was recorded in 29 (15%). Vaccination coverage was >75% for tetanus-diphtheria, pneumococcal and quadrivalent meningitis but was only 70.4% for influenza. After returning, 41 (13.5%) pilgrims reported some health problem; of these, 61% were respiratory tract symptoms. The risk factors independently correlated with the presence of diseases was the number of days in Saudi Arabia (OR=1.06; 95% CI: 1.01-1.11) and taking part in the Hajj compared with the Umra (OR=1.08; 95% CI: 1.07-1.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Religious pilgrims from Spain to Saudi Arabia are mainly young and healthy. Those with longer stays abroad contracted a higher number of diseases.
authors: Unitat de Salut Internacional Metropolitana Nord, Institut Català de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona), España. lvalerio.bnm.ics@gencat.cat
authors: Lluís
authors: L
authors: Valerio
authors: Yolanda
authors: Y
authors: Arranz
authors: Begoña
authors: B
authors: Hurtado
authors: Sílvia
authors: S
authors: Roure
authors: Maria Dolors
authors: MD
authors: Reina
authors: Octavio
authors: O
authors: Martínez-Cuevas
authors: Miquel
authors: M
authors: Sabrià
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel