Intestinal parasite infection and associated factors among food handlers in Feres Bet town, North West Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021

Alem, Dejene Tsegaye; Yitayew, Fentahun Minwuyelet; Amlak, Baye Tsegaye; Birhanie, Setark Ayenew; Teshale, Mikyas Muchie; Alemneh, Tilksew Liknaw; Wubishet, Tizazu

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14075

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Studies conducted in different settings have reported a high prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers, ranging from 29 to 63% (11,13,26). Studies in different parts of Ethiopia have revealed a wide variability in the prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers (27,28), with rates ranging from 14.5 to 46.3% (6,17,19,21,(29)(30)(31)(32)(33). A recent review in Ethiopia found that 33.6% of food handlers in food establishments were infected with E. histolytica/ dispar and Ascaris lumbricoides (13).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burden and factors influencing intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia

Getie,

Belay,

Amare

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections pose significant global health challenges, particularly in developing countries. Asymptomatic infections often present a considerable burden with food handlers serving as potential carriers. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of these parasites varies across regions, and accurate data in the study area is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers working in hotels and restaurants in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study collected stool samples from food handlers alongside a structured questionnaire gathering socio-demographic and hygiene practice information. Stool specimens were screened for intestinal parasites using direct wet mount and formol-ether concentration techniques. The collected data were checked for completeness, entered into EpiData software version 3.1, and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was deemed statistically significant if the p-value was less than 0.05.ResultsA total of 257 food handlers working in hotels and restaurants in Gondar City participated in the study. Of these, 33.5% (86/257) were found positive for one or more intestinal parasites, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 28.0–39.5%. The study identified nine types of intestinal parasites, with E. histolytica/dispar (8.2%, 21/257) and Ascaris lumbricoides (6.6%, 17/257) being the predominant parasites, followed by hookworm (3.5%, 9/257) and S. mansoni (2.3%, 6/257). The prevalence of mixed infections was 9.3% (24/257). A significant association was observed between intestinal parasitic infection and the educational level of food handlers.ConclusionIn this study, a high prevalence of intestinal parasites was detected indicating poor hygiene practices of the food handlers at the study site. Even the prevalence of mixed infections was high. Regular training, strict adherence to personal hygiene and food-handling practices, and routine inspections and medical checkups for food handlers are crucial.

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