Abstract
Background: Food handlers represent a possible cause of transmission of infectious diseases. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites, urinary tract infections and HBV and HIV seroprevalence among food handlers in hotels and restaurants in Kigali, Rwanda. Methods: Stool, urine and blood samples from a total of 683 food handlers from 8 different hotels and restaurants in Kigali were collected between 2009 and 2011. Stool specimens were examined microscopically for intestinal parasites. Urine sample were examined microscopically and cultured on bacteriological media. Blood samples were tested for HBsAg and HIV by ELISA. Results: Of the total subjects examined, 76 (11.2%) were found to be infected by an intestinal parasite. Most frequently found organisms were Entamoeba histolytica, E. coli and Giardia sp. In urine, 140 (20.5%) showed signs of urinary tract infections and the most prevalent bacteria identified were Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp. Prevalence of HBV and HIV among food handlers was 5.7% and 3.4% respectively. Conclusion: The findings from this study indicate that food handlers can be implicated in the spread and transmission of food communicable diseases and reveal the need for protective measures.
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