Abstract
Background: Infections by intestinal pathogens especially protozoans and helminths are considered to pose a real health problem, particularly in the tropics. They cause considerable morbidity and mortality rates in developing countries. The high prevalence of these infections is closely correlated with poverty, poor environmental hygiene, and impoverished health services. This study aimed to detect prevalence and frequency of parasitic infections among food handlers in Khartoum Sudan. Methods: Three hundred and fifty Food-handlers, attending public health laboratories in Khartoum, Sudan, for an annual medical check-up, were screened for intestinal parasites by four laboratory techniques viz. direct faecal examination, formal-ether concentration, Baermann technique and agar culture method. Results: The infection rate was 23.7% by Formol-Ether Concentration technique, followed by direct saline stool preparation (7.1%). Out of 83 positive samples the infection rate among different nationalities was as follows: Sudanese 68 (81.9%), Ethiopians 13 (15.7%), Syrians 2 (2.4%) and Egyptians 0 (0%). Intestinal parasites were more prevalent among males (73; 25.1%) than female food handlers (10; 16.9%). Three protozoans, nematodes, two tap worms and one trematode worm were detected among infected population: their frequency were as follows: Entamoeba histolytica (7.4%), Entamoeba coli (6.86%), Giardia lamblia (6%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.40%), Necator americanus (1.43%), Hymenolepis nana (0.68%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.68%), Taenia saginata (0.57%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.57%) and Trichostrongylus species (0.29%). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of protozoan infections among food handler in Khartoum state, Sudan was 20.26% while the helminthic infections was 5.97%. Formol-ether concentration technique is better for detection of intestinal parasites than the direct faecal smear technique. Likewise, Barmann’s technique confirms detection of nematodes worms especially hookworms.
Highlights
In developing countries, intestinal parasitic infections remain a significant cause of mortality and morbidity[1,2]
The total number of screened food-handlers included in the study was 350; the age of participant ranged from 16 to 68 years with an average age of 32 years, 46% of the participants were less than 29 years old compared with 54% of being 29 or above (Figure 2)
Distribution of samples according to the residence data showed that 101 participants were from Khartoum north (28.9%), 160 participants were from Omdurman (45.7%) and 89 participants were from Khartoum (25.4%) (Table 1)
Summary
Intestinal parasitic infections remain a significant cause of mortality and morbidity[1,2]. The high prevalence of these infections is closely associated with poverty, penurious health services, and poor environmental and personal hygiene[4]. Contaminated food caused by inadequate environmental sanitation and insufficient personal hygiene by food-handlers have been implicated in epidemics of protozoan infections in humans[6]. The objective of this study is to determine the infection rate and study distribution of intestinal parasite among Sudanese food-handlers in Khartoum, Sudan. Infections by intestinal pathogens especially protozoans and helminths are considered to pose a real health problem, in the tropics. They cause considerable morbidity and mortality rates in developing countries. The high prevalence of these infections is closely correlated with poverty, poor environmental hygiene, and impoverished health services. Nematodes, two tap worms and one trematode worm were detected among infected population: their frequency were as follows: Entamoeba histolytica (7.4%), Entamoeba coli (6.86%), Giardia lamblia (6%), Schistosoma mansoni (1.40%), Necator americanus (1.43%), Hymenolepis nana (0.68%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.68%), Taenia
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
