Travel medicine and infectious disease
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Jan 2017
The impact of crowd control measures on the occurrence of stampedes during Mass Gatherings: The Hajj experience.
Mass gatherings present enormous challenges for emergency preparedness. Planners must anticipate and prepare for communicable and non-communicable disease outbreaks, illnesses, and injuries to participants, crowd control, and disaster responses to unforeseen natural or man-made threats. The Hajj, the largest annually recurring mass gathering event on earth. It attracts about 3 million pilgrims from over 180 countries who assemble in Mecca over a 1-week period. ⋯ A large gathering such as the Hajj still holds an increasing risk for future disasters. International collaboration and continued vigilance in planning efforts remains an integral part of these annual preparations. The development of educational campaigns for pilgrims regarding the possible dangers is also crucial. Lessons gleaned from experiences at the Hajj may influence planning for mass gatherings of any kind, worldwide.
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Nov 2016
Differences in prevalence of community-associated MRSA and MSSA among U.S. and non-U.S. born populations in six New York Community Health Centers.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections (SSTIs) in the community in the United States of America. Community Health Centers (CHC) serve as primary care providers for thousands of immigrants in New York. ⋯ In our study, immigrants were more likely to present with SSTIs caused by MSSA than US-born patients. Immigants also reported lower frequencies of antibiotic prescription or consumption in the months prior to SSTI infection. This suggests that antibiotic resistance may vary regionally and that immigrants presenting with SSTIs may benefit from a broader range of antibiotics.