The prevalence and pattern of pneumonia among Hajj pilgrims: a study of two successive Hajj seasons

Abstract

Objective To determine the prevalence of pneumonia during Hajj seasons 2017 and 2018, with estimation of the frequent causative organisms and length of hospital stay, and to study the effect of demographic characteristics on the prevalence. Patients and methods This retrospective study included patients who had pneumonia during the Hajj seasons 2017 (group I) and 2018 (group II). Sputum sample were collected from all patients for culture, and nasopharyngeal swabs were sent for Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus PCR and H1N1. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was done, and bronchoalveolar lavage was taken from patients who did not produce sputum or had nonresolving pneumonia or diffuse lung infiltrates, and patients who were on mechanical ventilation and sent for culture. Results The yields of sputum cultures obtained during Hajj seasons 2017–2018 together were positive in 203 (33% of 614 patients); sputum cultures were positive in 74 (28.68%) and 129 (36.23%) patients in groups I and II, respectively. Viral infection was detected in 103 (40%) and 138 (38.8%) patients in group I and II, respectively, with no significant difference. The duration of hospital stay in patients with pneumonia was 17.35±29.60 and 5.83±20.51 in groups I and II, respectively, with no statistical difference. Conclusion The wide range of isolated causative organisms of pneumonia during Hajj is diverse from those reported away from Hajj season, as the patients came from different countries with different comorbidities, which necessitates creation of specific guidelines for management of pneumonia during Hajj. Great efforts should be made by hospitals in updating antibiogram to enable choice of proper empirical antibiotics.

Keywords

• bronchoscopy
• hajj
• pneumonia
• sputum cultures