title: Environmental sampling for respiratory pathogens in Jeddah airport during the 2013 Hajj season.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are common during the Hajj season and are caused by a variety of organisms, which can be transmitted via the air or contaminated surfaces. We conducted a study aimed at sampling the environment in the King Abdul Aziz International (KAAI) Airport, Pilgrims City, Jeddah, during Hajj season to detect respiratory pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active air sampling was conducted using air biosamplers, and swabs were used to sample frequently touched surfaces. A respiratory multiplex array was used to detect bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 58 environmental samples, 8 were positive for at least 1 pathogen. One air sample (1 of 18 samples, 5.5%) tested positive for influenza B virus. Of the 40 surface samples, 7 (17.5%) were positive for pathogens. These were human adenovirus (3 out of 7, 42.8%), human coronavirus OC43/HKU1 (3 out of 7, 42.8%), Haemophilus influenzae (1 out of 7, 14.2%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (1 out of 7, 14.2%). Chair handles were the most commonly contaminated surfaces. The handles of 1 chair were cocontaminated with coronavirus OC43/HKU1 and H influenzae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respiratory pathogens were detected in the air and on surfaces in the KAAI Airport in Pilgrims City. Larger-scale studies based on our study are warranted to determine the role of the environment in transmission of respiratory pathogens during mass gathering events (eg, Hajj) such that public health preventative measures might be better targeted.
authors.affiliation: Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: zmemish@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.affiliation: Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Malak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almasri
authors.affiliation: Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Assirri
authors.affiliation: National Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Shangiti
authors.affiliation: Duke University School of Medicine, Duke Infectious Diseases and Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Health and Health Professions, and One Health Center of Excellence for Research and Training, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lednicky
authors.affiliation: Global Centre for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yezli
mesh_terms: D059028:Airports; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
keywords: Coronavirus; Environmental sampling; Haemophilus influenza; Hajj; Influenza; Respiratory pathogens