Abstract
To examine the possible implications of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A (pandemic flu, pH1N1) on this religious gathering and provide a response plan for the Otolaryngology, Head and Neck (ENT) clinic during the Hajj pilgrimage.
This study was conducted between November and December 2009. All patients presenting to the ENT clinic at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
A total of 3087 patients were included (mean age 35+/-7.8 years), of which, 2114 were males (68.5%), and 973 females (31.5%, male to female gender ratio=2.17:1). Among them, 1467 patients (47.5%) were Hajji and 1620 patients (52.5%) were non-Hajji. Saudi patients comprised 1602 (51.8%), while non-Saudi's comprised 1485 (48.2%). Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) including the diagnosis of pharyngitis, viral URTI, pH1N1, and tonsillitis represented (92%) of total diagnoses. Of these, only 77 suspected pH1N1 cases (2.5%) were observed in the ENT clinic. Management of 3045 patients (98.6%) included antimicrobials as part of their main therapy.
The pH1N1 cases presenting to our ENT Hajj clinic had a minimal impact on the clinic operation. The ENT Hajj Clinic helped alleviate pressure from the ER. Excessive use of antibiotic usage should be discouraged.