Orf Contamination May Occur During Religious Events

In a letter to the editor, Ghislain, Dinet, and Delescluse discuss their observations of orf, a viral infection, occurring in Brussels, particularly among the Muslim community following the religious event 'Aid el Kebir'. They report that in 1999, 23 patients were treated for orf within a 15-day period, with all but one being Muslim. The infection coincides annually with 'Aid el Kebir', which involves the ritualistic killing of a sheep, often resulting in close contact with the animal and potential viral transmission. Both men, who perform the sacrifice, and women, who handle the meat and skin, were affected. The authors emphasize that orf is not limited to rural populations and can be associated with religious practices. They also note the predictability of orf cases based on the Islamic calendar, expecting new cases to begin in early April 2000.