Abstract
Food handlers plays a primary role in the transmission of pathogenically important protozoans and helminth parasites. This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal pathogenic protozoans and helminth parasites among food handlers in and around University of Malakand, Lower Dir, Pakistan. Stool samples were collected from 642 food handlers (all of male) in a cross-sectional study from January to November, 2017. Wet Mount Techniques and concentration methods by using salt and formol-ether solutions. Three hundred and eighty four cases (59.8%) were found infected with one more parasites. Most of the individuals were found infected with helminth (47.6%) as compared to intestinal protozoans (0.93%). Seventy two cases (11.2%) of the cases presented mixed infection with both intestinal protozoan and helminth parasites. The order of prevalence for intestinal helminth was Ancylostoma duodenale (n = 258, 40.1%), followed by Taeniasa ginata (n=96, 14.9%) Ascaris lumbricoides (n = 54, 8.40%) and Trichuris trichura (n=30, 4.60%). For intestinal protozoa, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (n = 36, 5.64%) was the only protozoan detected. Mono-parasitism was higher than poly-parasitism. Family size income and education level were the factors significantly (P<0.05) associated in the parasites prevalence. Current research showed that IPIs are primarily the foodborne pathogens still an important public health problem in Pakistan. Effective control programs on parasitic diseases transfer and their associated factors are recommended.
Highlights
Food protection is a global concern and a substantial number of food borne illnesses is due to unsafe foodhandling practices
Food handlers links the food from industry to the market and to consumer
All the food handlers should be referred to a healthy centre (Medical Diagnostic Laboratory) to diagnose for intestinal parasitic infection prior to receive health certificate
Summary
Food protection is a global concern and a substantial number of food borne illnesses is due to unsafe foodhandling practices. These diseases were originated to affect more than 30% of the people in industrialized nations. Improving the consumer understanding of safety rules would reduce pathogenic microorganisms in food. Most of the academic awareness has been given to consider the knowledge on practices of food safety throughout world (Ahmed et al, 2017). Information about food handlers is a required factor in controlling the food borne diseases. Government of Pakistan has issued 22070 certificates to international and 8857 to local food handlers (Ahmed et al, 2017)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
