Detection of intestinal parasites and isolation of potential pathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics from food handlers

Abstract

Objective: Foodborne and waterborne infection diseases are an important public health problem that leads morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. Food handlers with poor personal hygiene, working in food industries could be potential carrier sources of infections of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, enteropathogenic bacteria and intestinal parasites regarding the transmission to healthy individuals. In this study it was aimed to determine the intestinal parasites, and to investigate pathogenic microoorganisms in nose, throat, stool and their susceptibility to antibiotics among foodhandlers. Methods: Foodborne and waterborne infection diseases are leading causes of mortality and morbidity is a major health problem in both developed and developing countries. Food handlers with poor personal hygiene, working in food industries could be potential carrier sources of infections of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, enteropathogenic bacteria and intestinal parasites regarding the transmission to healthy individuals. This study was undertaken to determine the intestinal parasites; pathogen microoorganisms in nose, throat, stool and their susceptibility to antibiotics among foodhandlers. Results: The mean age of the participants was 28.0±1.3 (range = 19-51 years), 25.8% female and 74.2% were male. Among 62 throat swab samples, 35.5% yielded Streptococcus pyogenes. of the 62 nasal swabs, 32.3% (20) were identified as Staphylococcus spp. Of the Staphylococcus spp. isolates, 8.1%, 4.8% and 19.4% of them were identifified as methicillinresistant S. aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-sensitive coagulase-negative staphylococci, respectively. All of the 15 methicillinsusceptible staphylococci were susceptible to vancomycin, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefazolin, cefoxitin and cefotaxime; of the 15 methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus spp. 40.0% of them were resistant to penicillin, 13.3% were resistant to erythromycin, 6.7% were resistant to clindamycin. Out of 62 stool specimens 95.1% were negative in terms of intestinal parasites, 3.2% were determined to have G. intestinalis. In one specimen (1.6%) Entamoeba cyst was determined and confirmed as E. histolytica by using antigen test. None of the specimens were positive for Salmonella and Shigella spp. Conclusion: Regular periodic health examinations and controls should be performed to determine nasal carriage of S. aureus and throat carriage of S. pyogenes. Foodhandlers infected with S. aureus and S. pyogenes threatening food safety and public health, should be compulsorily allocated or excluded from the work and be treated immediately. They should be allowed to return to work only after having negative clinical laboratory examination and symptoms of the food borne disease have entirely resolved. Foodhandlers should be educated and trained about the personal hygiene, food hygiene and safety by the manager of food establishment.