A Review of Infectious Diseases Associated with Religious and Nonreligious Rituals

Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis. 2021 Dec 6;2021:1823957. doi: 10.1155/2021/1823957. eCollection 2021.ABSTRACTRituals are an integral part of human life but a wide range of rituals (both religious and non-religious), from self-flagellation to blood brotherhood to ritual sprinkling of holy water, have been associated with transmission of infections. These infections include angiostrongyliasis, anthrax, brucellosis, cholera, COVID-19, cutaneous larva migrans, Ebola, hepatitis viruses, herpes simplex virus, HIV, human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV), kuru, Mycobacterium bovis, Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis, orf, rift valley fever, and sporotrichosis. Education and community engagement are important cornerstones in mitigating infectious risks associated with rituals.PMID:34912451 | PMC:PMC8668350 | DOI:10.1155/2021/1823957
Source: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research