Lack of MERS Coronavirus but Prevalence of Influenza Virus in French Pilgrims after 2013 Hajj

摘要

We report the results of a prospective cohort study conducted in Saudi Arabia in October 2013. Participants in the survey were adult Hajj pilgrims who traveled together in a group (through 1 travel agency in Marseille, France) from October 3 through October 24, 2013. Pilgrims were included in the study on a voluntary basis and were asked to sign a written consent form. All pilgrims received advice about individual prevention measures against respiratory tract infection before departing, and follow-up was conducted during the journey by a medical doctor who systematically documented travel-associated diseases. Nasal swab specimens were obtained just before the pilgrims left Saudi Arabia, frozen