Intestinal parasites in school food handlers in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

In order to verify the presence of intestinal parasites in food handlers, stool samples were collected from 104 cooks and their helpers that were working in food preparation in 20 public elementary schools, in various areas of the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The samples were collected during the months of November and December, 1988, in plastic flasks containing a 10% formaldehyde solution and processed by the Hoffmann, Pons & Janer method. The sediment was examined using triplicate slides. All individuals were females aged between 24 to 69 years. Intestinal parasites were found in 85.0% of the studied schools and 47.1% of the studied food handlers (cooks and helpers) were found to be positive. Among the 49 infected food handlers, 32 (65.3%) carried a single parasite and 17 (34.7%) carried two parasites. The following intestinal parasites were found: Giardia lamblia (21.1%), Entamoeba coli (21.1%), hookworms (9.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (5.8%), Entamoeba histolytica (2.9%), Hymenolepis nana (1.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.0%). These data emphasize the need for a rigid semi-annual control in all school food handlers, including diagnosis, specific treatment and orientation about the mechanisms of transmission of the intestinal parasites.

The incidence of feco-oral parasites in street-food vendors in Buea, south-west region Cameroon

“…Due to high cost of living and high rental cost, most vendors live in shackle houses that are situated in valleys and slump areas with increased chances of acquiring faecal-oral infections. Costa-Cruz et al 13 carried out a similar study in the city of Uberlandia in Brazil and found a higher infection rate of 60% among food vendors, and Entamoeba coli was equally the most prevalent parasite (14.0%), contradicting another research in Abeokuta, Nigeria (2004), in which E. coli was absent and the most prevalent parasite was E. histolytica 9,14 . Child-to-mother transmission, or child-tofood transmission through unhygienic manipulations is favoured by the fact that children are the most likely to become infected with faecal-oral parasites, by eating dirt or placing soiled fingers and toys in their mouths.…”

Prevalence and pattern of bacteria and intestinal parasites among food handlers in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria

“…Costa-Cruz18 and co-authors reported intestinal parasites in 47.1% of the food handlers in public elementary schools. Among the 49 infected food handlers, 32 (65.3%) carried one parasite and 17 (34.7%) carried two parasites.…”

Intestinal Parasitic Infection among Food Handlers in the Holy City of Makkah During Hajj Season1428 Hegira (2007G)

“…Another study during a period of six years was accomplished in Tunis on 6092 stool samples from food handlers showed that the prevalence of intestinal parasites is 14.46% [19] . [20] . Stool samples from 104 female food handlers (cooks and their helpers) working in 20 public elementary schools were examined.…”