Multiyear prospective cohort study to evaluate the risk potential of MERS-CoV infection among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims (MERCURIAL): a study protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by the MERS-CoV. MERS was first reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012. Every year, the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca attracts more than two million pilgrims from 184 countries, making it one of the largest annual religious mass gatherings (MGs) worldwide. MGs in confined areas with a high number of pilgrims' movements worldwide continues to elicit significant global public health concerns. MERCURIAL was designed by adopting a seroconversion surveillance approach to provide multiyear evidence of MG-associated MERS-CoV seroconversion among the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims.

Methods and analysis

MERCURIAL is an ongoing multiyear prospective cohort study. Every year, for the next 5 years,

SUBMITTER: Johari J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8395290 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature