Infections associated with religious rituals

2013/06/18 by James Pellerin, Michael B. Edmond · 1 citation
Medicine · Health Professions · #Travel-related health issues #Pediatric health and respiratory diseases #Infection Control in Healthcare

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2013.05.001

openalex publication_date 2013/06/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

This review evaluates the medical literature for religious rituals or ceremonies that have been reported to cause infection. These include an ultra-orthodox Jewish circumcision practice known as metzitzah b'peh, the Christian common communion chalice, Islamic ritual ablution, and the Hindu 'side-roll'. Infections associated with participation in the Islamic Hajj have been extensively reviewed and will not be discussed.

Citations

• Risk of Infectious Disease Transmission from a Common Communion Cup
• Neonatal Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection After Jewish Ritual Circumcision: Modern Medicine and Religious Tradition

Cited by

• Eucharist [wikipedia]

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