Abstract:
This is a cross-sectional study carried out during the period
from April to August, 2013 to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) on
hands of food handlers. The study was conducted in Sudan
University of Science and Technology. One hundred
samples
(n=100) were taken from fifty food handlers; two samples from
each participant (left and right hands) using well moistened
sterile swabs. Swabs were inoculated on Eosin Methylene blue
agar plates. The plates were incubated aerobically at 37 oC for
24 hours. Identification of E. coli was done using colonial
morphology, indirect Gram stain and biochemical tests using
MicrobactTM 24E Gram-negative identification system.
Two (2%) of swabs were positive for E. coli in the left hands and
one (1%) of swabs was positive for E. coli in the right hand (p
> 0.05). A comparison of the frequencies in food handlers
revealed that E. coli were higher frequency in the left hands
than the right hands. All food handlers were Muslims. They
were using ungloved bare hands in handling of food. 30% of
participants wear clean uniform. All of them washes their
hands using water and soap. No one suffer from any abdominal
pains.
The study concluded that the relatively low numbers of
organisms found indicate that the majority of respondents
complied with proper hand washing practices. This study
referred to indication of faecal contamination. Further studies
are required to assess personal hygiene of food handlers.
