Background: Infected food handlers act as potential sources of food borne illnesses. Consequences of such outbreaks in healthcare settings are more severe affecting their vulnerable sick patients. We aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, Salmonella and Shigella species, and associated risk factors in our hospital food handlers in this cross-sectional study.
Materials and Methods: Data on sociodemographic details, past medical illness, hygiene awareness practices, occupational prophylaxis undertaken were collected from 110 food handlers in hospital kitchen area. Their stool samples were collected for microbiological analyses of common intestinal parasites using saline and Lugol’s iodine wet mount preparations. Stool samples were inoculated onto Selenite F broth and subcultured onto Nutrient agar, MacConkey’s agar, Salmonella Shigella agar for isolation of Salmonella, Shigella species. Chi-square test and Odds ratio were used to determine risk factors in infected food handlers.
Results: Only 4 (3.6%) food handlers were positive for intestinal parasites of Entamoeba histolytica (1.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.9%) and Giardia lamblia (0.9%). None had Salmonella or Shigella species isolated from stool culture. All infected food handlers were aged over 50 years. Noncompliance to hand hygiene standards and illiteracy rates raised above 50 years.
Conclusion: The negligible prevalence of intestinal parasites, Salmonella and Shigella species in food handlers testify our efficient hospital infection control program. Age over 50 years, uneducated and incompetent in hand hygiene practices were predominant risk factors for IPI. Scrupulous occupational health screening and trainings targeting high risk food handlers above 50 years of age, could prevent enteric pathogen spread in healthcare settings.
Key words: Food handlers, intestinal parasites, Salmonella, Shigella, healthcare
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