Foodborne disease risk factors among women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Foodborne disease and food control in the Gulf States

“…Zoonotic and foodborne diseases, such as brucellosis, salmonellosis, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, shigellosis, amebic dysentery, and hepatitis A are reportable diseases in KSA with yearly statistical records of the Ministry of Health (MOH) (Alsayeq, 2015) indicating relatively low incidence of these enteric diseases. With few specialists in food safety, few accredited laboratories, ill persons not always seeking medical help, and illness data are not always available from private hospitals, these enteric diseases are likely underreported.…”

“…If we use the estimates for the United States (48 million annual cases, Scallan et al, 2011), we would expect about 4 million cases a year in KSA based on a comparative population. Alsayeq (2015) attempted to determine the burden of foodborne diseases through hospital records but foodborne disease cases in Saudi Arabia are not typically clearly defined in patients who were admitted to hospital emergency rooms. For non-notifiable foodborne diseases, a literature search (for the period from 2003 to 2013) was performed online in seven databases for outbreak-related data.…”

“…The incidence rates per 100,000 ranged from 0.55 for typhoid/paratyphoid to 114.7 for "food poisoning", the most frequently recorded enteric disease, which is not defined by etiological agent, but probably excludes those notifiable diseases often or sometimes associated with food intake, e.g., salmonellosis or amebic dysentery. Alsayeq (2015) suggests four possible agents for food poisoning (Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens), but most likely the term is more often a catch-all for those cases linked to foods by the victims or the investigating team but with no specific agent isolated. Risk factors contributing to outbreaks are listed as contaminated food and water, crosscontamination, inadequate cooking, food from unsafe sources, infected food handlers, and raw milk.…”

“…The author did not discuss these results, and some of the data derived are hard to interpret. For instance, it was a small sampling (100), mainly of men, but women in KSA typically do the shopping and food preparation (Alsayeq, 2015). To sum up, educational level did not seem to be a big a factor as might be expected (compared with the study of Farahat et al (2015) who surveyed Saudi women); most had no idea or thought restaurants were the cause of foodborne illness, yet, over 20% had heard of many foodborne disease pathogens, including Listeria and E. coli O157.…”

“…Selfadministered surveys are not the most accurate and respondents may give the impression of more knowledge than they really have compared with observational studies (Redmond & Griffith, 2003). A similar slightly earlier but larger survey on attitudes to the risk of foodborne disease in Riyadh, but only addressed to women from March to July, 2013, was conducted by Alsayeq, (2015). Out of 1020 questionnaires distributed, a total of 785 were obtained; most respondents were under 34 years of age, had an undergraduate degree, and were not married.…”