Abstract:
This study was designed to assess the prevalence of nasal carriers of some
pathogenic bacteria and intestinal parasites among food handlers .in
Omdurman Province. The food handlers were divided into six groups
according to their occupation: restaurant workers, bakers, store keepers, milk
sellers, butchers and fruits/vegetables seller.
A total of 518 nasal swabs were cultured on Mannitol salt agar. From
the significant growth 78(30.1%) carry pathogenic bacteria which cause
food poisoning, 56 (21.6%) carry nasal Staphylococcus aureus, 3 (1.2%)
carry Salmonella spp., 1 (0.4%) carry Shigella spp., 2(0.8%), carry
Entamoeba histolytica and 10(6.25%) carry Giardia lamblia.
Most groups carry food borne pathogens is store keepers (41%),
restaurant workers (24.4%), bakers (24.4%), butchers (5.1%), milk
distributors (2.6%), and fruits/vegetables sellers (2.6%).
Store keepers group is the most group carry nasal Staphylococcus
aureus (44.6%), followed by restaurant workers (25%), bakers (17.9%),
butchers (5.4%), and milk distributors, fruit/vegetables sellers (3.6%) for
each.
