The pilgrimage and the burden of pneumococcal disease in adults

• Published in: Tüberküloz ve toraks Vol. 65; no. 4; pp. 327 - 332
• Main Authors: Köksal, İftihar, Şenol, Esin, Çilli, Aykut, Alıcı, Devrim Emel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Turkish
• Published: Turkey 01-12-2017
• Subjects: Adult; Child; Community-Acquired Infections - epidemiology; Community-Acquired Infections - transmission; Comorbidity; Crowding; Humans; Pneumococcal Infections - epidemiology; Pneumococcal Infections - transmission; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Travel
• ISSN: 0494-1373
• DOI: 10.5578/tt.40365

Pneumococcal disease is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. All over the world, 1.6 million people die of pneumococcal disease every year; this estimate includes the deaths of 1 million children aged less than 5 years and the deaths of 600.000- 800.000 adults. The burden of pneumococcal disease is high in adults. Increasing age and the presence of comorbidity has a significant affected of the risk of developing the disease. During mass gatherings, such as pilgrimage individuals, is exposed to severe community-acquired pneumococcal infections. Individuals who has Streptococcus pneumoniae in nasopharynx, have the potential to infection and leave exposed to the risk of pneumococcal disease the other Individuals with sneezing, coughing or out of breath, given breath through droplets of these microorganisms. In the present review, the relationship of pneumococcal disease in adults and pilgrimage, vaccination strategies will be considered and then during a visit to Pilgrimate and Umrah pilgrims against the current vaccine recommendations will be summarised.