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Review
. 2019 Aug;164(8):1981-1996.
doi: 10.1007/s00705-019-04300-2. Epub 2019 May 28.

Epidemiology of respiratory viruses in Saudi Arabia: toward a complete picture

Mohamed A Farrag  1 , Maaweya E Hamed  1 , Haitham M Amer  2 , Fahad N Almajhdi  3
Affiliations
Review

Epidemiology of respiratory viruses in Saudi Arabia: toward a complete picture

Mohamed A Farrag et al. Arch Virol. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Acute lower respiratory tract infection is a major health problem that affects more than 15% of the total population of Saudi Arabia each year. Epidemiological studies conducted over the last three decades have indicated that viruses are responsible for the majority of these infections. The epidemiology of respiratory viruses in Saudi Arabia is proposed to be affected mainly by the presence and mobility of large numbers of foreign workers and the gathering of millions of Muslims in Mecca during the Hajj and Umrah seasons. Knowledge concerning the epidemiology, circulation pattern, and evolutionary kinetics of respiratory viruses in Saudi Arabia are scant, with the available literature being inconsistent. This review summarizes the available data on the epidemiology and evolution of respiratory viruses. The demographic features associated with Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus infections are specifically analyzed for a better understanding of the epidemiology of this virus. The data support the view that continuous entry and exit of pilgrims and foreign workers with different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds in Saudi Arabia is the most likely vehicle for global dissemination of respiratory viruses and for the emergence of new viruses (or virus variants) capable of greater dissemination.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of Saudi Arabia showing different regions. A) The Central Region (Riaydh, Qasim), B) Eastern Region (Damam, Khafji, Alhasa), C) Western Region (Mecca, Medina, Jeddah), D) Southern Region (Asir, Najran, Jizan), and E) Northern Region (Tabuk, Jouf, Hail). The asterisk symbol denotes the site where the first case of MERS-CoV was reported. The locations of the two holy mosques are indicated on the map at Mecca and Medina
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Incidence of MERS-CoV infection in Saudi Arabia from May 2013 to March 2018. The Central Region (Riaydh, Qasim) followed by the Western Region (Mecca, Medina, Jeddah) are the most strongly affected areas. The Southern (Asir, Najran, Jizan) and Northern (Tabuk, Jouf, Hail) regions had fewer reported cases. The largest number of MERS-CoV cases was reported during 2014 and 2015
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Monthly records of MERS-CoV infection in Saudi Arabia from May 2013 to March 2018. Except for August and September 2015, significant MERS-CoV peaks were observed between March and May of the remaining years
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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