BACTERIOLOGICAL AND PARASITOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF FOOD HANDLERS IN OMMDURMAN AREA, SUDAN

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.