Abstract
Food handlers are important sources of intestinal parasitic infection to the public and mass catering service areas. Several reports worldwide particularly in developing countries showed a high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among these groups of individuals. In an attempt to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, a cross-sectional study was carried out among food handlers in food establishment areas of Mettu town, Southwest Ethiopia. To collect sociodemographic characteristics of the study participants, a structured questionnaire and physical observation were employed. Stool specimens collected from each food handlers participated in the study were then examined using light microscopy of the wet mount followed by formol-ether concentration methods to see infection status. A total of 139 food handlers were enrolled in the study. Majority of them were females 89 (64%), and 124 (89.2%) of them had not taken any training related to food handling and preparation. Sixty-two (44.6%) of the study participants were diagnosed with one or more intestinal parasites. The chi-square test showed that intestinal parasite infection was found associated with personal hygiene (p ≤ 0.0001), nail trimming status (p ≤ 0.0001), and hair cover status (p ≤ 0.040). The multivariable logistic regression indicated that the risk to be infected with intestinal parasites were related with older age (p ≤ 0.032), food handlers who had no hand wash practices (p ≤ 0.033), who had no food handling and preparation training (p ≤ 0.005), poor personal hygiene (p ≤ 0.0001), who had not taken regular medical checkup (p ≤ 0.008), and whose nail was not trimmed (p ≤ 0.0001). The most abundant intestinal parasite identified was G. lamblia (24, 26.7%) followed by E. histolytica/dispar (22, 24.4%), and A. lumbricoides (15, 16.7%). Twenty-eight (45.2%) study individuals were also found with mixed infections. The study thus revealed a high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection among apparently healthy food handlers in food establishments of the study area. Mass drug administration for all food handlers working in food establishment areas of the town coupled with health education and training should be initiated urgently.
Highlights
Foodborne diseases continue to be a major global health problem and are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries [1]. e World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 30% of the population in developed countries, suffers from foodborne diseases each year, whereas in developing countries, up to two million deaths are estimated per year, and more than 70% cases of diarrheal diseases are associated with the consumption of contaminated food [2].Food handlers are an important source of contamination either as carriers of pathogens or through poor hygienic practices [3]
An attempt is made in the present study to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and associated predisposing factors among food handlers serving in food establishment areas of the town
Sixty-two (44.6%) of the food handlers participated in the study were found to be positive for various types and species of intestinal parasites
Summary
Foodborne diseases continue to be a major global health problem and are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries [1]. e World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 30% of the population in developed countries, suffers from foodborne diseases each year, whereas in developing countries, up to two million deaths are estimated per year, and more than 70% cases of diarrheal diseases are associated with the consumption of contaminated food [2].Food handlers are an important source of contamination either as carriers of pathogens or through poor hygienic practices [3]. A similar study in the USA suggested that improper food handler practices contributed to approximately 97% of foodborne illnesses in food service establishment areas and homes [8]. In Ethiopia, the rate of intestinal parasitic infection among food handlers were conducted and ranged from 29 to 72% with different reports on the predominant species of parasites and hygiene practices [9,10,11,12,13]. There is a scarcity of reported data on food handlers being identified as potential sources of intestinal parasitic infection from several parts of the country. An attempt is made in the present study to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and associated predisposing factors among food handlers serving in food establishment areas of the town
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