The main sources or vehicles of H1N1 transmission recognized by pilgrims were people with H1N1 (43%), air (39%), contaminated patient objects (25%), and poor hygiene (16%). Very few pilgrims (1%–3%) answered that animals, water, or food could be potential sources or vehicles of H1N1 transmission. The main ways to avoid H1N1 infection, as described by pilgrims, were hand hygiene (48%), wearing a mask (45%), using a hand

sanitizer (29%), staying away from sick people (28%), covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing (21%), and avoiding crowds or public gatherings (18%). Only 6% of pilgrims thought that H1N1 vaccine could keep them from getting H1N1 infection. A total of 3,218 swabs obtained from pilgrims just before and after the Hajj were tested for influenza A and B; respiratory syncytial virus; parainfluenza

virus 1, 2, 3, and 4; rhino-enterovirus; adenovirus; and three additional selleck chemicals llc respiratory agents: corona, metapneumo, and bocavirus (Table 4). The overall prevalence of any respiratory virus was 14.5% (465/3,218). The main viruses detected were rhino-enteroviruses (N = 414, 12.9%), coronaviruses (N = 27, 0.8%), respiratory syncytial virus (N = 8, 0.2%), and influenza A virus (N = 8, 0.2%) including pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (N = 3, 0.1%). Although coronaviruses (1.0% vs 0.2%) and respiratory syncytial virus (0.3% vs 0.0%) were slightly SD-208 more prevalent among departing pilgrims than among arriving pilgrims, none of these viruses or other detected viruses was significantly more prevalent in one group than the other. Figure 1 shows the prevalence rate of any respiratory virus infection by age group, gender, and H1N1-vaccination status. The prevalence of respiratory viruses was slightly but not significantly higher among those >60 years old and ≤40 years old compared to those 41–60 years old (who made up half of the survey samples). The prevalence of respiratory viruses Bupivacaine was similar in both males

and females (15.1% vs 14.5%, respectively) but lower among those who stated they got H1N1 vaccine compared to those who stated they did not (11.8% vs 15.6%, respectively, p = 0.009). At least one respiratory virus was detected in 14.5% of respiratory specimens from more than 3,200 pilgrims (Table 4). The overall detection of respiratory viruses is comparable to or lower than that found in previous studies performed among pilgrims with upper respiratory symptoms.7,8,12,13 Using different laboratory methods, 10%–32% of the pilgrims in these studies were found to be infected with a respiratory virus. Only three (0.1%) pilgrims were positive for pandemic influenza A(H1N1). This very low prevalence during the H1N1 2009 pandemic year was unexpected, especially in light of the expected high number of H1N1 cases among elderly pilgrims attending the 2009 Hajj season.