Infectious diseases epidemic threats and mass gatherings: Refocusing global attention on the continuing spread of the Middle East Respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Media and World Health Organization (WHO) attention on Zika virus transmission at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and the 2015 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa diverted the attention of global public health authorities from other lethal infectious diseases with epidemic potential. Mass gatherings such as the annual Hajj pilgrimage hosted by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attract huge crowds from all continents, creating high-risk conditions for the rapid global spread of infectious diseases. The highly lethal Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remains in the WHO list of top emerging diseases likely to cause major epidemics. The 2015 MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea, in which 184 MERS cases including 33 deaths occurred in 2 months, that was imported from the Middle East by a South Korean businessman was a wake-up call for the global community to refocus attention on MERS-CoV and other emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases with epidemic potential. The international donor community and Middle Eastern countries should make available resources for, and make a serious commitment to, taking forward a "One Health" global network for proactive surveillance, rapid detection, and prevention of MERS-CoV and other epidemic infectious diseases threats

‘Pseudomonas saudiphocaensis’ sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from currency notes collected during the Hajj pilgrimage in 2012 at Makkah, Saudi Arabia

We report here the main characteristics of ‘Pseudomonas saudiphocaensis’ strain 20_BNT (CSUR P1224), a new species of the Pseudomonas genus that was isolated from currency notes collected during the Hajj pilgrimage in 2012 at Makkah, Saudi Arabia

‘Jeotgalicoccus saudimassiliensis’ sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from air samples in the urban environment of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

We report here the main characteristics of ‘Jeotgalicoccus saudimassiliensis’ strain 13MG44_airT (CSUR P1221), a new species of the Jeotgalicoccus genus that was isolated from air samples in the city environment of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during the pilgrim period of Hajj 2012

“Raoultibacter massiliensis” gen. nov., sp. nov., a new bacterium isolated from the human gut of a Saudi Bedouin

We propose the description of a new bacterial genus and new bacterial species, “Raoultibacter massiliensis,” isolated from a faecal specimen of a 19-year-old healthy Saudi Bedouin

‘Beduinella massiliensis’, gen. nov., sp. nov. a new genus representing a new family in the phylum Firmicutes, and proposal of Beduinellaceae fam. nov.

We report here the main characteristics of a new bacterium named ‘Beduinella massiliensis’ strain Marseille-P2846T (CSURP2846P) that was isolated from a faecal specimen of a 50-year-old Saudi Bedouin female and propose the creation of a new family ‘Beduinellaceae’

Comparison of the gut microbiota of obese individuals from different geographic origins

Few studies have examined the interaction of human geography, microbial community structure and obesity. We tested obese adult volunteers from France, Saudi Arabia, French Polynesia and from a traditional population in the village of Trois-Sauts in French Guiana by sequencing the V3-V4 region. We also sequenced homemade fermented cachiri beers that were obtained from the traditional Amazonian population and are highly consumed by this population. We found that French and Saudis had significantly less richness and biodiversity in their gut microbiota than Amazonians and Polynesians (p <0.05). Principle coordinate analysis of the overall composition of the genera communities revealed that the microbiomes of Amazonians clustered independently from the other obese individuals. Moreover, we found that Amazonians presented significantly stricter anaerobic genera than the Saudis, French and Polynesians (p < 0.001). Polynesians presented significantly lower relative abundance of Lactobacillus sp. than French (p 0.01) and Saudis (p 0.05). Treponema berlinense and Treponema succinifaciens were only present in the gut microbiome of Amazonians. The cachiri beers presented significantly more bacterial species in common with the gut microbiome of Amazonians (p < 0.005). Obese individuals with different origins present modifications in their gut microbiota, and we provide evidence that the cachiri beers influenced the gut microbiome of Amazonians. Keywords: Cachiri, gut microbiota, metagenomics, obesity, traditional livin

First complete genome sequence of circulating dengue virus serotype 3 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Here we report the first full-length genome sequence of dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3) from a strain isolated from a patient in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2014. The genome consists of 10 635 bp and shows close similarity to circulating genotype III isolates from Singapore, suggesting possible importation, most probably during religious pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia. Keywords: Dengue virus, DENV, full genome, genotypes, Saudi Arabi

What is the experience from previous mass gathering events? Lessons for Zika virus and the Olympics 2016

All previous experiences from different mass gathering show that vaccine preventable diseases is the most important infections like influemza, hepatitis A, polio and meningitis. Three mass gathering held in Africa during the Ebola outbreak accepted participants from West Africa and was able to handle the theoretical risk without any incident. Therefore we believe that the Olympc games in Rio de Janeiro should not be canceled. The number of visitors to the games is a tine fraction (1%) of other visitors to Zika endemic con tries and it will have no measurable effect on the risk of spreading Zika virus, if the games was cancelled