Patients admitted to emergency units with injuries related to the four Hajj-associated annual animal sacrifice feasts from 2010 to 2013

Injuries related to animal sacrifice during the Feast of Sacrifice in Turkey

BACKGROUND

The Feast of Sacrifice is a significant annual religious festival in Muslim countries. In these festivals, thousands of animals are usually sacrificed by inexperienced individuals. Thus, many injuries occur during sacrificing of animals.

OBJECTIVES

Describe injuries related to animal sacrifice or meat processing.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional descriptive study.

SETTINGS

Three hospitals in different cities of Turkey.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Severity and type of injuries that occur during animal sacrifice or meat processing after the sacrifice and hospital costs.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Identification and classification of sacrifice related injuries.

SAMPLE SIZE

301 injured individuals.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 42.5 (14.8) years and 83.1% of the subjects were male. Most (90.0%) injuries were penetrating injuries and 10.0% were blunt traumas. Upper and lower extremity injuries were identified in 77.4% and 17.9% of cases, respectively. Almost half of the injuries were on the left hand (49.8%). Almost all (96.6%) cases were treated and discharged from emergency services. Median hospital cost per patient was 103.14 Turkish Liras (35.95-852.66 Turkish Liras) (19.53 USD [6.80-161.48 USD]).

CONCLUSIONS

Even though injuries related to animal sacrifice are usually caused by minor sharp objects, they can be severe and life threatening on rare occasions. To minimize the injuries that may occur during this period, public education and more convenient sacrifice centers may be helpful.

LIMITATIONS

Small sample, single country, and short duration of the study.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Hajj abattoirs in Makkah: risk of zoonotic infections among occupational workers

At completion of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah, pilgrims give thanks for the blessing, and acceptance, of Hajj, marking the end of the pilgrimage by sacrificing an animal and distributing the sacrificial meat to the poor. With over two million Muslims making Hajj, each Hajj, more than 1.2 million heads of cattle: sheep, goats and camels are slaughtered. Over 16 000 abattoir workers work around the clock to sacrifice and process the cattle in keeping with Islamic law and public health guidelines. Because of their proximity to high densities of cattle and cattle meat, Makkah's abattoir workers are at risk of zoonosis. This was a longitudinal study aimed at determining the risk of some zoonotic diseases among male permanent abattoir workers during Hajj. Specifically, seroprevalence of antigens for Brucella, Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Alkhurma haemorrhagic fever (AHF) and Rift Valley Fever (RVF) were determined, among the study participants. An enrolment questionnaire, and a follow‐up questionnaire, with provision of 10 mL blood for testing 2 days before intense Hajj animal exposure, up to 20 days after intense animal exposure and between 30 and 42 days after Hajj butchering exposures. While working with livestock, study participants were interrogated on hand hygiene and personal protection. Eighty male permanent abattoir workers participated in the study. Majority, 96.25% (n = 77) declared washing their hands with soap and water, most 98.75% (n = 79) never used eye protection, few occupational workers dressed in personal protective clothing or footwear. All workers tested negative for CCHF and RVF, one was positive for AHF and six for Brucella. The risk of some zoonotic infections like Brucella and AHF is low among permanent occupational workers in the slaughtering house in Makkah during Hajj 2013. No serological evidence for CCHF and RVF viruses, even though workers showed low compliance with use of personnel protective equipment.