Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Food Handlers and Microbial Safety of Ready-To-Eat Foods in Selected Orphanage Centers in Addis Ababa
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
According to the Ethiopian Central Statistics Authority report, in 2004; there were about
436,726 orphan children by both parents throughout the country. Among those, Addis Ababa
had 29,926 orphan children by both parents in the same year (ECSA, 2004) though recent
statistical information could not be found. This indicates that a significant proportion of the
total population have problem of having adequate food, shelter and clothes. However, in the
capital city of Ethiopia, there are 99 orphanage centers that have signed agreement with the
Bureau of Women & Children’s Affairs of A.A. Plenty of children orphan by both parents
are still in trouble of having their basic necessities. In most cases the centers might give
attention only to the availability of food but not of its safety. Thus, this study was designed to
determine the microbiological safety of the RTE foods, the prevalence of intestinal parasitic
infections among food handlers and the overall hygienic practices/facilities in food
preparation.
A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2010. Four orphanage centers
were recruited for the study by simple random sampling technique. Standardized and
structured questionnaire was used to gather information on the overall sanitary conditions of
the centers. For the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections, all (40) food handlers were
participated in stool examination through DFS technique. A total of thirty six RTE food
samples were also collected from the centers and examined for microbial quality at EHNRI
food microbiology laboratory in Addis Ababa. Standard methods were used to determine
APC, total and fecal Colforms, Staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococci, and Lactic
acid bacteria. Predominant colonies isolated from APC plates were characterized to different
bacterial groups by morphological and physiological tests. EPI Info version 6 and SPSS
statistical packages were employed for data management.
The findings of this study showed that 14(35%) of the food handlers from all (four)
orphanage centers were infected with one of either protozoan or helmintheic parasites. The
most common intestinal parasitic infections encountered among these infected individuals
were A. lumbricoides (50%), followed by E. histolytica (42.86%), G. lamblia (21.43%) and
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Taenia species (7.14%). Improper food storage, poor personal hygiene and food handling
practices of the food handlers and poor sanitary facilities were also the major defects
observed. Fifty percent of the floor and 75% of the walls and ceilings of the kitchens were
found in poor sanitary conditions. Accordingly, the predominant groups of bacteria isolated
from the APC plates were Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriaceae.
Finally it was concluded that the unacceptable limit of Staphylococcus and
enterobacteriaceae in RTE foods indicating poor hygienic practices of the food handlers with
improper temperature control and high prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers
were of unacceptable quality and safety of food in the centers.
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Keywords
Colforms, Staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococci