Background:In most cases, people pay more attention to the microbial quality of drinking water than the quality of water they used to wash hands. This may lead to the occurrence of various foodborne illnesses through the introduction of pathogenic microbes during preparation and serving of food. Objective: To determine the effect of microbial quality of washing water on the hand hygiene status of food handlers in Jimma town. Methods: Laboratory-based cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 150 food handlers were selected randomly for hand hygiene examination, and 150 water samples were collected aseptically from water storage tanks, food handlers used to wash their hands. The samples were subjected for microbiological analysis using standardized protocol. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to summarize the data and to determine the effect of microbial quality of water on hand hygiene of food handlers, respectively. Results: Among 150 food handlers included in the study, 104 (69.0%) of them were males and 64 (43.0%) of them aged between 35 and 50 years. On the other hand, 64 (42.7%) of the study participants had not attended formal education. About three-fourth of them used stored water to wash their hands, and almost similar proportion of them were waiters. The mean coliform bacteria of water and hand rinsate samples were 4.2 ± 0.8 and 4.1 ± 0.8 log CFU/mL, respectively. Conclusion:The study revealed that the microbial quality of water used to wash hands significantly affects the hand hygiene status of the food handlers. Hence, improving the microbial quality of washing water is important to improve the hand hygiene status of food handlers and consequently to prevent the occurrence of food-borne illness in the town.

A total of eight locally available substrates and substrate combinations were tested for their productivity and biological efficiency (BE) for cultivation of commercial mushroom strain (Pleurotus ostreatus). Spawn preparation and running were carried out following standard methods. Main substrates were steam sterilized for 1 h and were inoculated with 10% spawn. The inoculated main substrates were arranged in a completely randomized design on shelves in the mushroom growing room and incubated at ambient temperature (22 ± 2°C). Relative humidity of the mushroom growing room was controlled by manually spraying water on the walls and placing open containers filled with water in the corners of the room. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 14. The substrate types had significant (p < 0.05) effects on the rate of mycelial extension, mean incubation period and yield at 2 nd and 4 th flushes, number of matured fruit bodies, aborted pinheads, weight of matured fruit bodies and BE. The fastest mean value (0.69 cm/day) of mycelial extension was recorded from sdZcCh (combination of sawdust of Cordia africana and Pouteria adolfi-friederici, corncobs and coffee bean husks). However, mycelial growth in coffee bean husks was completely ceased after 15 days. The first pinning took 29 ± 2.3 days followed by 12 ± 6.3, 7.6 ± 2.3, and 6.4 ± 2.5 between the 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th flushes, respectively. Mean durations from pinning to maturation ranged from 3 to 5 days. The highest BE was obtained from sdZcCh (77.38%). The present findings indicate the potential of agricultural wastes for cultivation of oyster mushrooms. All the substrates that gave over 40% BE could be recommended for oyster mushrooms cultivation.

Background Although Campylobacter jejuni ( C. jejuni ) and Campylobacter coli ( C. coli ) cause acute diarrheal diseases in people all over the world, they are most commonly seen in other mammalian species and are a seemingly healthy carrier condition. Humans in Ethiopia, on the other hand, are largely unaware of the existence of Campylobacter in food animals as potential sources of infection. Objective To determine the occurrence, risk factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of thermophilic Campylobacter species in bovine raw meat from the abattoir and butcher shops. Methods Swab samples were collected from 177 cattle carcasses (from abattoir 93 and butcher shops 84) and cultured using standard methods. An antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method towards eleven antimicrobial agents. Results The overall prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter species was 14 (7.9%). From these, 11 (78.6%) were identified to be C. jejuni and 3 (21.4%) were C. coli . Lack of handwashing before meat processing and after visiting the toilet, meat contact with floors, walls, or soiling during preparation, and lack of training were the most important factors independently associated with (p<0.05) the prevalence of Campylobacter species contamination. The highest level of antimicrobial resistance of the Campylobacter isolates was recorded to ampicillin (10μg) (100%), followed by amoxicillin (30μg) (78.6%) and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim (57.1%) while the least resisted antimicrobials were streptomycin (25μg), erythromycin (15μg), oxytetracycline (30μg) (each 28.6%), kanamycin (30μg) 14.3%, chloramphenicol (30μg) and gentamycin (10μg) (each 7.1%). Conclusion Despite the low prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter in the current investigation, it may pose a significant public health threat. As a result, it is vital to give retailers and customers extensive education, training, and knowledge about the correct handling and cooking of animal-derived goods. Furthermore, antimicrobials should be used with caution in both veterinary and human treatment regimens as well as a wider examination of antimicrobial resistance patterns for the use of well-targeted antimicrobials.

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Background The widespread habit of consumption of raw meat along with poor hygiene during handling, transportation and processing are the major contributors to the high prevalence of food-borne diseases in Ethiopia. Listeriosis is one of the important food-borne diseases acquired through consumption of meat. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Listeria species in meat collected from abattoir and butcher shops.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2018 to February 2019 on isolation, phenotypic characterization, and determination of antibiotic susceptibility profiles of isolates of L. monocytogenes. A total of 100 meat samples were collected from abattoir and butcher shops in Jimma Town. Laboratory based isolation and characterization of the Listeria species was made using conventional culture and biolog. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was conducted using ten different selected antibiotics of current veterinary and human therapy. An observational check list was used to assess meat handling practices of butcher shops and abattoir workers.Results From the total of 100 samples collected from butcher shops and the abattoir, 29 (29%; 95% CI: 21.0-38.5%) were found positive for Listeria species. Out of this, 15 (30%, 95% CI: 34.4–68.6%) samples were from the butcher shops and 14 (28%, 95% CI: 31.4–65.6%) were from the abattoir. L. innocua (48.3%) was the dominant species followed by L. seeligeri (27.6%). L. monocytogenes accounts 7% of the isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility tests revealed that L. monocytogenes isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, vancomycin, Sulfamethoxazole-Sulfamethrimethoprim, chloramphenicol and cloxacillin. In contrary, L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to cloxacillin, penicillin, nalidixic acid and tetracycline. On the other hand, low level of education, lack of training on meat handling and poor cleanliness of meat contact surfaces were significantly associated with the occurrence of Listeria spp. (P < 0.05).Conclusion The findings highlighted the need for regular training on hygienic meat handling practices for meat handlers in order to minimize the risk of food borne diseases. Furthermore, regulation of the optimal use of antimicrobials in food producing animals is highly recommended so as to reduce antimicrobial resistance.