Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites Among Food Handlers in Western Iran

Abstract

Parasitic infection is one of the problems that affect human health, especially in developing countries. In this study, all of the fast food shops, restaurants, and roast meat outlets of Khorramabad (Western Iran) and all the staff employed by them, some 210 people, were selected through a census and their stools were examined for the presence of parasites. The parasitological tests of direct wet-mount, Lugol's iodine staining, formaldehyde-ether sedimentation and Trichrome staining techniques were performed on the samples. The data was analyzed with a chi-square test and logistic regression was selected as the analytical model. The results showed 19 (9%) stool specimens were positive for different intestinal parasites. These intestinal parasites included Giardia lamblia 2.9%, Entamoeba coli 4.3%, Blastocystis sp. 1.4%, and Hymenolepis nana 0.5%. There was a significant difference between the presence of a valid health card, awareness of transmission of intestinal parasites, participation in training courses in environmental health with intestinal parasites (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the rate of literacy and gender among patients infected with intestinal parasites (p > 0.05). To control parasitic infection in food handlers, several strategies are recommended such as stool examinations every three months, public education, application of health regulations, controlling the validity of health cards and training on parasitic infection transmission. In this regard, the findings of the present study can be used as a basis to develop preventive programs targeting food handlers because the spread of disease via them is a common problem worldwide.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers at cafeteria of Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

“…In this study, the overall prevalence of intestinal parasites among food-handlers was 33% which is in consistence with the study conducted in Wolaita, Ethiopia (33.68%) [27] and comparable with the study done in Arba Minch, Ethiopia (36.0%) [28], Nigeria (38.1%) [29], Khartoum, Sudan (30.5%) [15]. The present prevalence is higher than 20.6%% in Hawassa University, Ethiopia [30], Western Iran (9%) [31], Sari, Northern Iran (15.5%) [32]. It was lower than the prevalence of 58.4% which was from Jimma, Ethiopia [25], 41.1% from Bahirdar Town [23] and 41.1% from Yebu Town, Ethiopia [20].…”

A cross-sectional analysis of intestinal parasitic infections among the general population in north of Iran

“…One of the most important health indicators in each society is the prevalence status of parasitic diseases among its population [1,2]. Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are among the most common causes of infections worldwide.…”

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Some researchers have shown that the transport of oxygen to the brain and decrease in blood stream may act as a mechanism in the complex etiology of AD (28). This study was conducted with regards to the localization of T. gondii tissue cysts in the central nervous system and reports indicating the impact of T. gondii on neurodegenerative diseases (7,9,10,13,16,29,30), as well as the lack of information about the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in patients with AD in studies conducted on the prevalence of parasitic infections in Lorestan province (18,19,(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37).…”