Good Sanitation Practices Research Articles

Food Sanitation and Hygiene Practice in Foods Purchasing during the Early Period of Covid19 Pandemic in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia: An Online Study

Introduction: The Covid19 pandemic has greatly impacted all aspects of life, including the behavior of food purchasing. This study aims to identify the description of food hygiene and sanitation practices as part of the food safety aspect in the practice of food purchasing in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia. Methods: Data collection was conducted online in May 2020 from 411 respondents including data on sociodemographic, the proxy of knowledge level, perceptions, sources of information related to food handling, and the practice of food sanitation, and hygiene during the pandemic. Food sanitation and hygiene practices were assessed using a composite index of variables based on the Five Keys to Safer Food and preventive measures during the pandemic. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess factors associated with food sanitation and hygiene practices. Results and Discussion: Sufficient practice on food sanitation and hygiene is still relatively low (41.6%). An increased risk of poor food sanitation and hygiene practices was observed in people with less attention on the virus transmission while doing direct shopping, had a non-permanent job, single source of information on food handling during a pandemic, and were currently not married. Changes in the frequency of direct food purchasing and method of online food purchasing were shown as protective factors to better food and sanitation hygiene practice. Conclusion: The food sanitation hygiene practices of consumers during the pandemic in Indonesia are classified as unfavorable. Educational interventions using multi-source of media information are recommended to promote good hygiene food sanitation practices during the pandemic.

Microbiological quality of street-vended foods sold in Thulamela Municipality of South Africa

The objective of the study was to examine the microbial quality of street-vended foods in Sibasa and Thohoyandou markets of Thulamela Municipality, South Africa. Gravy, salad, beef and chicken stews were randomly sampled from seven markets. Microbiological international standard methods were used for the Total plate counts, coliform bacteria, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, yeast and mould counts. The microbial counts (log10 CFU/g) of foods sold at Thohoyandou ranged from 2.0±2.08 to too numerous to count for Total plate count, 2.0±1.00 to 6.6±7.57 for Salmonella spp., 2.0±2.64 to 3.9±6.03 for S. aureus, 2.3±1.73 to too numerous to count for yeast. At Sibasa, microbial counts (log10 CFU/g) ranged from 2.1±6.24 to 6.9±5.30 for total plate count, 2.0±0.00 to 3.8±10.00 for coliform bacteria, 2.0±2.64 to 4.7±8.33 for Salmonella spp., 2.0±6.03 to 3.9±9.30, for S. aureus, 2.1±1.00 to 3.7±39.58 for yeast and 2.0±1.15 to 4.9±21.66 for B. cereus. Mould was not detected in all the foods sold at both locations. The total plate count was significantly different (P<0.05) between salads and chicken stews. For Salmonella spp., significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between salads and beef stews. For S. aureus, a significant difference was found in salads (P<0.05). For yeast, significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between salads and beef stews. The fact that most street-vended foods were contaminated with a range of microorganisms is a matter of public concern. Department of Health, South Africa should initiate a food safety program for the vendors to be trained in hygienic preparation of foods and good sanitation practices to better safeguard the health and wellness of consumers. There is also a need for Environmental Health Practitioners to mount a better monitoring system that would contain selling street-vended food that is unfit for human consumption.

MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF RAW COWS MILK IN PESHAWAR DISTRICT


 Objectives
 To study the microbial analysis of raw cow's milk collected from selling points of Peshawar.
 Materials and methods: A total of 80 aseptically raw milk samples were collected by multistage sampling technique from four towns of Peshawar in sterile glass bottles and stored in ice container for laboratory analysis at Agriculture University Peshawar. Microbial analysis was performed on plate count and samples were screened for staph aureus, E.coli spp, and salmonella spp. Microbiological load was tested and the data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.
 Results: The microbial analysis of milk revealed contamination of milk and most prevalent bacteria was Escherichia coli (26.2%) and least prevalent was Salmonella spp (3.75%).
 Conclusion Although the presence of E.coli spp, staph spp and salmonella spp. indicate that the milk is contaminated but found that total bacterial count was within permissible limit. If not controlled in time will lead to public health issues. This highlights an urgent need to adopt good sanitary practices and monitoring of milk from production to distribution by the health authorities.

Bacteriological Assessment of the Indoor Air of a Private University in Nigeria

The bacteriological assessment of indoor air of the male hostel at Rhema University Nigeria was undertaken in this study. Bacteriological analyses of Air samples from male hostels was carried out weekly for 4 weeks using standard microbiological methods in June, 2021 to determine their bacteriological content. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables. The result showed that the concentration of bacteria isolates increased as the duration of exposure of the media increased. The highest bacteria concentration was seen at room 205 at 40 minutes (29.8 x 102CFU/M3) and the least at room 204 at 20 minutes (0.9 x 101 CFU/M3). The concentration of bacteria at other rooms were room 305 at 40 minutes (17.7 x 102 CFU/M3), room 304 at 20 minutes had 1.3 x 101 CFU/M3, room 405 at 40 minutes had 17.8 x 102 CFU/M3, room 404 at 20 minutes had 3.6 x 101 CFU/M3, room 504 at 40 minutes had 17.6 x 102 CFU/M3 and room 503 at 20 minutes had 11.9 x 102 CFU/M3. A total of eleven (11) different bacteria species were isolated and identified as Staphylococcus aureus (100%), Escherichia coli (75%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (75%), Klebsiella spp (75%), Bacillus subtilis (75%), Streptococcus pyogenes (50%), Bacillus megaterium (50%), Bacillus cereus (50%) and Serratia marcescens (25%). Staphylococcus aureus is the most occurring bacteria specie (100%) while Serratia marcescens is the least occurring bacteria specie (25%). Potential pathogenicity testing of isolates revealed Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Streptococcus pyogenes as potential pathogenic species found in the hostel rooms. Bearing in mind that some of the bacteria species isolated showed potential pathogenic abilities, it means that the air quality of the male hostel rooms may have health implications. There is therefore need for periodic air quality evaluation in the male hostel to discover and manage those environmental variables which favours the multiplication of bacteria. Students are advised to implement good sanitation and hygiene practices to improve indoor air quality in the hostels and prevent possible infection or disease.

Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Leptospira interrogans Serogroup Sejroe Serovar Hardjo in Dairy Farms in and around Jimma Town, Southwestern Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on selected dairy farms in and around Jimma town, Oromia, southwestern Ethiopia from November 2019 to May 2020 to determine the seroprevalence of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo (L. hardjo). Furthermore, information was gathered on individual animal and herd level by using pretested semistructured questionnaire to assess associated risk factors. A stratified and simple random sampling procedure was used for the selection of dairy farms and individual animal's, respectively. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) was used in this study to detect antibody against L. hardjo. Out of 384 animal's sera, 94 animals were seropositive against L. hardjo antibodies. From 77 dairy farms selected for the study, 57 of them were distinguished as positive for L. hardjo. The overall seroprevalence of leptospirosis caused by L. hardjo was 24.48% (95% CI: 20.18%–28.78%) and 74.03% (95% CI: 64.23%–83.82%) at individual animal and farm level, respectively. The result of multilogistic regression analysis revealed that management system (p < 0.05; OR = 4.25 (95% CI: 2.31–7.82)), hygienic status of the farm (p < 0.05; OR = 0.35 (95% CI: 0.20–0.61)), age of animals (p < 0.05; OR = 8.30 (95% CI: 1.87–36.89)), history of abortion (p < 0.05; OR = 8.37 (95% CI: 1.73–40.42)), herd size (p < 0.05; OR = 2.32 (95% CI: 1.17–4.61)), and access of rodents to the farm (p < 0.05; OR = 0.17 (95% CI: 0.03–0.86)) were significantly associated with the occurrence of L. hardjo infection. However, breed, parity, and introduction of new animals to the farm were insignificantly associated (p > 0.05). Management system of the animal, hygienic status of the farm, herd size, age of animals, previous history of abortion, and access of rodents to the farm were identified as potential risk factors of L. hardjo disease occurrence. Thus, limiting rodents contact with cattle and their feed and water as well as good sanitary practices and husbandry management should be undertaken.

Phytopythium vexans Associated with Apple and Pear Decline in the Saïss Plain of Morocco.

An extensive survey conducted in the Saïss plain of Morocco during the 2017–2018 growing season revealed that 35 out of 50 apple and pear orchards were infested with a pathogen that causes the decline disease. Morphological and phylogenetic tree analyses using the cox II gene allowed us to identify the pathogen as Phytopythium vexans. Interestingly, no Phytophthora and Pythium species were isolated. The occurrence and prevalence of the disease varied between locations; the most infested locations were Meknes (100%), Imouzzer (83%), and Sefrou (80%). To fulfill Koch’s postulate, a greenhouse pathogenicity test was performed on the stem and collar of one-year-old healthy seedlings of apple rootstock M115. Symptoms similar to those observed in the field were reproduced in less than 4 months post-inoculation with root rot disease severity ranging from 70 to 100%. The survey results evidenced that apple rootstocks, soil type, and irrigation procedure may contribute significantly to the occurrence of the disease. The disease was most prevalent in drip water irrigation and sandy-clay soil on wild apple rootstock. Accordingly, a rational drip advanced watering system and good sanitation practices could eliminate water stagnation and help prevent the onset of this disease. It was concluded that Pp. vexans occurrence may be strongly influenced by irrigation mode and type of soil. Therefore, the obtained findings of this study could help to better understand the recurrence of this disease and to develop a reliable integrated strategy for its management.

Decision-making on prophylactic measures in animal breeding farms

The performance of a production system constantly requires good sanitary practices, minimizing the risks of disease development in the herds, through preventive or curative prophylactic measures, as well as the adoption of hygiene measures. In this sense, an analytical-descriptive study was carried out on the actions taken by rural producers after participating in an international exhibition of animals, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in order to identify the prophylactic measures adopted when returning to the properties source. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied, in the form of interviews, to 13 rural producers, who work with different species and races, intentionally sampled and having as selection criteria the interest in participating in the research. The producers were asked about the management established in relation to the hygiene and prophylaxis measures with the animals participating in exhibitions and fairs, as well as on the incidence of diseases in the herd when returning to the production unit. Of the thirteen interviewees, three (23%) reported adopting differential management measures on the return of animals to property; the occurrence of diseases in the animals after the return to the UP, was reported in three UPs. The result found was significantly different from the expected one (P &lt; 0.001), if not adopting adequate health management could culminate with an increase in the incidence of diseases Cheers. Although the low incidence of diseases in the herds is reported by the interviewees, hygiene and prophylaxis measures are essential tools for the prevention and control of communicable diseases.

THE “DOGPLACE” INN AND COVD 19

A lodging facility for domestic dogs is a development that provides accommodation services among its main activities. Other services, such as the provision of natural food, of baths, and of shearing, among others, are also offered when required. The inn aims to care for animals during the absence of the pet owner. While the animals are adequately accommodated, the pet owners must be assured that their pets will be well cared for during the periods in which they plan to be absent. The “DOGPLACE” Inn, a well-managed business, indicates that the branch of entertainment for domestic dogs can be a promising investment. It is important that the business owner and manager possess a strong liking of animals and demonstrate satisfaction in dealing with people, as they will need to maintain constant communication with the pet owner. During times of pandemics, the sanitation of the inn, and knowledge of the latest scientific information concerning the transmission of the ailment of most concern, contribute to the suitability of the business. At “DOGPLACE” Inn, sanitation of all spaces is constant, contributing to avoid “Covid-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Recent news in the international media accounting cases of positive infections in dogs for Covid-19 have caused much worry among dog owners in general. Veterinarians elucidate that recommendations remain the same as the good sanitation practices among humans. Until the present time, there is no evidence that in natural conditions pets will become ill by contraction of Covid-19, nor that they are able to transmit the illness to human beings. The whole issue nevertheless points to the importance of promoting prevention actions aiming to maintain the health of animals and their human guardians in the “DOGPLACE” Inn. Frequent visits of pets to the veterinarian are also recommended.

Environmental Conditions and Predictors of Lassa Fever Transmission in a Low Socioeconomic Community in Nigeria

Lassa fever is of public health concern in West Africa due to its endemic nature. Housing conditions have been revealed to be important sites for primary transmission. This study assessed environmental and housing conditions of a low-income community for factors that could contribute to the transmission of Lassa fever. The study employed a cross-sectional design with a field component. Observational checklist and an interviewer-administered questionnaire were used to assess environmental conditions and respondents’ hygiene knowledge and practices respectively. Rodent traps were also placed in selected households. Data collected were analysed using SPSS Version20. 40% of the respondents had poor housing conditions, 80% had good hygiene practice while 20% had poor knowledge. Respondents with good housing condition were 1.9 times more likely to have good hygiene practice compared to houses with poor housing condition (OR= 1.941, p= 0.009). Rodents trapped from the households were Rattus rattus (43.2%), Rattus fuscipes (38.6%) and Rattus norvegicus (18.2%). Houses with most rats trapped had the poorest housing conditions and hygiene practices. The results suggest that households in the community are susceptible to the transmission of Lassa fever. Therefore, effective awareness campaigns on the transmission of Lassa fever and good hygiene and sanitation practice should be encouraged in and around the home.

ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION PRACTICES AMONG RURAL COMMUNITY

Introduction: Proper sanitation promotes health, improves the quality of the environment and thus, the quality of life in a community. Sanitation refers to the safe collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of human wastes. It is a fundamental health service without which there cannot be any improvement in the state of community health. It is both public and private element, and the individuals hygiene can affect the whole community. Improving the sanitation within a community leads to an improvement in health. Thus, sanitation is an integral component of environmental protection, which ensures a productive life. Methodology: In this pre-experimental study, 200 households of rural community in the age group of 20-60 years were selected as the samples for the study by using total enumeration sampling technique. The data was collected by using observational checklist on environmental sanitation. Data analysis was performed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. SPSS-17 software was used and P values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Result: In the pre test [mean=12.2, SD=2.2], majority of the rural community had poor environmental sanitation practices and in the post test [mean =25.9, SD=3.0], majority of the rural community had good environmental sanitation practices. Discussion: The result shows that there was improvement in practices regarding environmental sanitation practices after implementation of HEALTH EDUCATIONon environmental sanitation practices which was calculated at 0.05 level of significance. So, it is concluded that the HEALTH EDUCATION on environmental sanitation practices has an effect on to improve poor and average environment sanitation practices.

Impact of Storing Condition on Staling and Microbial Spoilage Behavior of Bread and Their Contribution to Prevent Food Waste.

The high loss rate of bread is generally known to contribute to the alarmingly high numbers in worldwide food waste. Correct storage techniques are believed to enable the reduction of preventable food waste. Therefore, the influence of storage parameters on staling and spoilage behavior of German bread within the limits of common household methods was investigated in this study. The aim was to generate reliable data for staling and spoilage using different storage methods (PE-layered microperforated paper bag, plastic bag, and fridge and bread box) to bridge the gap between consumer’s needs and scientific research questions. Everyday routines of life, such as visual inspection, were compared with microbiological techniques and were found to represent an adequate tool for microbial safety control. Visually undetectable fungal growth has not been found to result in the production of mycotoxins (fumonisins B1 and B2 and ochratoxin A) in quantifiable or harmful concentrations. Thus, disgust should prevent any foodborne health risks as the visual appearance should lead to avoiding the consumption of spoiled food before mycotoxins are produced in amounts causing adverse health effects within the limits of this experimental setup. Additionally, the storage temperature especially was found to influence the kinetics of staling processes, as a reduction accelerated the staling process. Further, crumb moisture loss was found to contradict a long shelf life but, on the other hand, an elevated humidity was shown to provoke excessive microbial growth and should therefore be observed when designing suitable storage methods. Further, the correct choice of the bread type stored and a good sanitary practice represent simply accessible ways to prolong the storage period of bread loaves.

Meat borne parasitic zoonoses in India

Meat borne zoonotic parasites prevalent in India include Taenia solium, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis suihominis. In addition, parasites such as Taenia saginata, Sarcocystis hominis, and Trichinella spiralis have also been reported. Primary routes of transmission of these parasites in the food animals involve consumption of food/water contaminated by eggs/cyst of the parasites. People become infected with meat borne zoonotic parasites after consuming raw or undercooked pork, mutton, chevon, game, and beef. Meat borne zoonoses are usually associated with poor hygiene and sanitary measures, improper cooking practices, lack of meat inspection and dearth of awareness. There is a need to run educational campaigns to create large scale awareness in public about the good hygiene, sanitation, and culinary practices, which could help to reduce the risk of meat borne pathogens. National level surveillance and control programs are required to determine the status of meat borne zoonotic pathogens. One health approach is the most viable solution to control meat-borne zoonotic parasites; the team members for One Health programs should include all the key stake holders for example, veterinarians, medical doctors, epidemiologists, farmers, consumers and policy makers. This review presents comprehensive information on the meat borne zoonotic parasites in India.

Socio-Demographic and Water Handling Practices Affecting Quality of Household Drinking Water in Kisii Town, Kisii County, Kenya

Household drinking water quality is dependent on a number of determinants which could be arising at the source, during transportation or due to storage and handling practices. The challenge is even big in urban settings that are often characterized by exponential population growth, increased urbanization, industrialization and poor sanitary facilities. Contaminated water is a leading cause of water borne diseases which are a major public health and policy makers concern. The study was designed to investigate the factors affecting household drinking water quality in Kisii Town, Kisii County, Kenya. The study was conducted in the four zones of Kisii town which include: Mwembe, Jogoo, Nyanchwa and CBD. Demographics, level of awareness in terms of water quality, hygiene and sanitation practices of the study population were studied using questionnaires. The questionnaires were filled by interviewing household heads from 422 sampled households. Qualitative data was also obtained by use of Focused group discussions (FGDs). Perspectives of key people such as public health officers were acquired through Key informant interviews (KIIs). The study found a significant relationship between household size and water quality in terms of presence of total coli forms. A strong relationship was also found between socio-economic factors (level of education, p<0.001 as well as level of income, p<0.001) and drinking water source which in turn affects water quality. The following hygiene and sanitation factors were found to be having significant relationship with presence of E. coli in household drinking water; source of water(p=0.002), transportation container (p=0.029), covering during transportation (p=0.012), storage container (p<0.001), method of drawing from storage container(p<0.001), feces disposal (p=0.001) and garbage disposal method (p=0.04). The conclusion of this study is that good hygiene and sanitation practices are important in ensuring total safety of drinking water at the point of use. There is therefore need for more capacity building in this region to ensure that people do not consume contaminated water which is a major contributing factor to water-borne diseases.

Providing Safe Drinking Water in the Himalayas: A Tale of Two Cities

Water contamination and the associated morbidity and mortality are among the major areas of concern for the planners and policy makers in the developing countries. Situation in the Himalayan region is no different. This study focuses on the analysis of water quality in the two major cities in the western Himalayas namely Shimla and Kathmandu. Divided in four parts, part II of the paper presents the study context and problem diagnostics. Part III is devoted to key concerns and the way forward. Finally, part IV presents conclusions and the research agenda. It is argued that among the factors that are responsible for this outcome are: primitive water treatment technologies, lack of good sanitary practices, lack of ecosystem focused water governance, and absence of effective water quality monitoring and surveillance. Therefore, effective water and sanitation management requires a holistic approach that takes a multidimensional view beyond the traditional confines of technology.

Alternative Sanitation and Strategic Directives for the Well Water Security in Cotonou (Benin) and Lom&amp;#233; (Togo)

In the coastal cities of West Africa, land use change, rapid population growth, bad sanitation systems and poor environmental governance degrade the quality of groundwater. This study aimed to assess alternative, acceptable, affordable sanitation disposal and practices for groundwater quality rehabilitation in the cities of Cotonou and Lome. The study was based on the participatory transdisciplinary approach, field surveys, feedback from interactions with stakeholders, experiences of the practitioners and institutional consultations. This multi-stakeholder approach helped to appreciate ecological aspects of sanitation disposal and its implications on water quality improvement. SWOT model was used to analyze the relevance of assessed ecological system. Well water quality is deteriorated by traditional waste management disposal. Ecological sanitation systems are septic tanks on polyethylene, above-ground latrines and phytoremediation technique in the swamp areas. Collected wastes are used for composting and biogas production. Based on the optimist scenario at 2030 horizon, kind success factors of groundwater security are participation of citizens, existence of sanitation market, valorization of the waste by category, low-cost disposal adaptable to the individual, household and neighborhood’s scales. The strategic directions rely on funding and public policies for WASH, ecological sanitation disposal, cultural environment and good sanitation practices for emergence of new sanitation system to secure and sustain well water quality. But the social acceptability of ecological disposal is limited by the society’s multicultural heritage. These findings could help in decision-making concerning urban groundwater quality protection in the African coastal cities.

English

Access to adequate and safe water is a universal human need. Lack of safe and adequate water supply causes health risk and the situation is serious in developing countries The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial load, physicochemical quality of drinking water in wells, reservoir, taps and household storage containers water samples and to investigate the hygiene and sanitation practices of the consumers in Woreta Town. A cross sectional community based study was conducted from January to March 2016 in Woreta town. A total of 189 water samples were collected from wells, reservoir, private taps and household storage containers in three rounds for bacteriological, physicochemical quality of drinking water and the hygiene-sanitation practices of the consumers were assessed using interview. Bacterial load analysis of water samples revealed that well and reservoir water samples were 100%; 30 (100%) tap water samples and 30 (100%) household storage container water samples were contaminated with total coliforms and did not meet the recommended value of World Health Organization (0CFU/100 ml). Regarding thermotolerant coliforms, one well water sample, 21 (70%) tap water samples and 30 (100%) household water samples were contaminated. The bacteriological load was greater at the household storage container water samples. There was statistically significant difference in total coliform and thermotolerants coliforms among the water sources at p < 0.01. Proper management of water sources, appropriate disinfection of raw water sources with chlorine and promoting good hygiene and sanitation practices are recommended to deliver safe drinking water to the consumers of the study area. Key words: Bacteriology, drinking water, household, hygiene, physicochemical, tap water.

Bioaerosol Assessment of Selected Offices within a Polytechnic

Aim: Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the built environment and their presence has been documented to have adverse effect on the users of such buildings. This study was conducted to assess the Bioaerosol concentrations of selected offices.&#x0D; Study Design: A random sampling technique was adopted to select the eight (8) offices for the study based on accessibility and visitation.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in selected offices within Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Port Harcourt. &#x0D; Methodology: Sedimentation technique was employed for the assessment involving Nutrient Agar, Mac Conkey Agar and Potato Dextrose Agar. The analysis was replicated thrice for both morning and afternoon sessions&#x0D; Results: The results reveal that the mean total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 5.85 x 103cfu/m3 (SUG Office) to 3.80 x 104 cfu/m3 (Lecturer Office 2) for the morning session while the afternoon session ranged from 1.13 x 104 cfu/m3 (SUG Office) to 6.54 x 104 cfu/m3 (Lecturer Office 2). The mean total coliform counts for the morning session ranged from 1.17 x 104 cfu/m3 (ICE Office) to 4.07 x 104 cfu/m3 (Lecturer Office 2) while the afternoon session ranged from 7.87 x 103 cfu/m3 (Admission Office) to 2.40 x 104 cfu/m3 (DSA Office). The mean total fungal counts ranged from 1.24 x 104 cfu/m3 (DSA Office) to 3.91 x 104 cfu/m3 (CSO Office) for the morning session while the afternoon session ranged from 8.87 x 103 cfu/m3 (CSO office) to 5.13 x 104 cfu/m3 (Lecturer Office 2).&#x0D; Conclusion: This shows that the selected offices in Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic are being affected by the airborne bacteria and fungi higher than the recommended limit of 103 cfu/m3. This can result in health challenges of the staff and students thereby reducing productivity, hence a need to control factors that increase the presence of bioaerosols and ensure good sanitary practices in offices.

Milk-borne bacterial health hazards in milk produced for commercial purpose in Tigray, northern Ethiopia

BackgroundMilk being a suitable medium for bacterial growth, it can serve as a source of bacterial contamination. Pathogenic bacteria in milk pose a serious health threat to humans and constitute about 90% of all dairy-related diseases. However, there are few studies that examined the health hazards of raw milk consumption in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of bacterial contamination and associated factors in milk produced for commercial purpose in Tigray region, northern Ethiopia.MethodsThis study used a cross-sectional study design, selected 315 persons (168 cafeterias, 96 dairy farms, and 51 milk vendors) for interview and collected the same number of bulk raw milk samples using systematic sampling procedure. Data were collected on socio-demographic, farm hygiene and milk handling practices by trained health professionals. Bacterial contamination was defined as total bacterial count (TBC) > 1 × 105, staphylococcus count (SC) > 105, or coliform count (CC) > 102 CFU/ml by culture and the species of bacteria were determined by standard biochemical tests.ResultsFrom the 315 milk samples tested, the prevalence of bacterial contamination was 52% (95% CI: 46.5–57.6). The mean counts of contaminated samples of TBC, SC, and CC were 8.94 ± 0.46 Standard Deviation (SD), 8.52 ± 0.6 SD, and 8.78 ± 0.49 SD log CFU/ml, respectively. The proportion of contamination was significantly lower in milk collected from dairy farms (32/96, 33.3, 95% CI: 24.5–43.2) compared to milk from vendors (33/51, 64.7, 95% CI: 51.4–66.2) and cafeterias (99/168, 58.9, 95% CI, 50.9–76.85). The milk samples were culture-positive for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, K. oxytoca and Citrobacter freundii.ConclusionsOver half of the sampled raw milk exhibited bacterial contamination with increasing trend from farmers to points of sale. Thus, milk vendors and cafeteria owners should apply good hygienic and sanitation practices during handling of milk; use appropriate, clean containers, and cold chain during milk transportation; and refrigeration of milk during storage.

Economic impact in the system of production of the canton El Pangui, for the leptospira incidence

La leptospirosis causada por una bacteria, es una enfermedad que afecta a la producción bovina y también puede impactar al ser humano por el carácter zoonótico de su agente causal. En la producción bovina, la leptospirosis origina un alto impacto económico ya que es uno de los principales agentes que provocan abortos, reabsorciones fetales, infertilidad, neonatos débiles y disminución de la producción de leche. Para corroborar lo antes mencionado, se realizó el estudio al sur de la amazonía ecuatoriana, en las parroquias: Tundayme, El Güismi, El Pangui y Pachicutza del cantón El Pangui, provincia de Zamora Chinchipe, Ecuador, ubicada a 820 msnm., con una muestra de 213 hembras bovinas mayores de 2 años de edad, no vacunadas contra leptospirosis. Una vez culminado el estudio se puede concluir que, en el cantón El Pangui se registró el 12,21% de leptospirosis para hembras bovinas en edad reproductiva; siendo la incidencia relativamente baja, en comparación a otros estudios. En el análisis financiero proyectado a 7 años de actividad productiva de vacas doble propósito, resultaron positivos los indicadores de rentabilidad financiera TIR, VAN, B/C, siempre y cuando se realice buenas prácticas sanitarias y los animales no sean afectados por alguna enfermedad reproductiva como es el caso de leptospirosis. El impacto económico de la leptospirosis en la economía familiar del productor está evidenciado en la generación de abortos, con lo cual se pierde el valor aproximado de 300 dólares anuales por las crías, existe pérdida en la producción lechera y, además el animal enfermo se puede transformar en un foco de infección contagiosa para toda la población bovina y humana, asumiendo mayores pérdidas en la escuálida economía campesina.

Gastrointestinal parasite infections in fighting bulls in South Thailand.

Background and Aim:Bullfighting is booming in South Thailand, attracting tourists, and stimulating local economies. The bulls are well raised and practiced, but in many cases, the owners lack knowledge and understanding of the prevention of animal diseases, including parasitic infections. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasite infection in fighting bulls.Materials and Methods:A total of 1501 fecal samples were collected from bulls aged 2-5 years visiting the animal hospital of Prince of Songkla University during 2016-2019. The formalin ethylether concentration method was used to detect GI parasites in feces.Results:The overall rate of GI parasite infection was 94.27%. Rumen fluke eggs were detected in 97.17% of all infected animals, followed in prevalence by strongyles (26.29%), Eurytrema spp. (2.83%), Fasciola spp. (2.47%), Trichuris spp. (0.35%), and Moniezia spp. (0.14%). Two protozoan genera were identified, Balantidium coli (6.64%) and Eimeria spp. (3.53%). Coinfection was observed in 33.99%. The five most common coinfections were rumen fluke with strongyles (20.85%), B. coli (4.66%), Eimeria spp. (1.55%), Eurytrema spp. (1.34%), and Fasciola spp. (1.06%).Conclusion:In addition to high GI parasite infection rates, zoonotic parasites were observed. Therefore, it is recommended that farmers should follow good sanitation and prevention practices to control parasitic infections in bulls, and proper hygienic precautions should be taken by the owners. Implementation of deworming programs using appropriateanthelmintic drugs as well as rotation of anthelmintic drug that have different chemical agent to prevent further drug resistance should be considered. The promotion of bull health management is highly recommended to protect humans from zoonotic diseases.