title: Global perspectives for prevention of infectious diseases associated with mass gatherings.
abstract: We assess risks of communicable diseases that are associated with mass gatherings (MGs), outline approaches to risk assessment and mitigation, and draw attention to some key challenges encountered by organisers and participants. Crowding and lack of sanitation at MGs can lead to the emergence of infectious diseases, and rapid population movement can spread them across the world. Many infections pose huge challenges to planners of MGs; however, these events also provide an opportunity to engage in public health action that will benefit host communities and the countries from which participants originate.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Section, Health Protection Agency, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gautret
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Brunette
authors.forename: Lucille
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blumberg
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poumerol
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbeschi
authors.forename: Ali S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D003441:Crowding; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007514:Islam; D011634:Public Health; D012308:Risk Management; D012499:Sanitation; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014195:Travel