Sudden outbreak of Shigella among food handlers working at university student`s cafeteria

Year 2017, , 10 - 15, 30.03.2017

Birhanemeskel Tegene

https://doi.org/10.5455/jicm.20160903102825

Abstract

Background: Food
borne disease outbreaks have resulted from unhygienic food handling and
preparation practices within food establishments consequently have severe
social and economic impacts on the human population. This study was aimed at
exploring the prevalence of Shigella species and S. typhi carrier rate among food handlers at Gondar University
student’s cafeteria.

Material and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among food handlers
working at Gondar University students’ cafeteria. A pre-tested structured
questionnaire was used for collecting data. Stool samples were investigated for
Shigella species outbreak and S. typhi
as per the standard of laboratory methods.

Results: Among
395 food handlers, females comprised 289 (73.2%). The majority 220 (55.7%) were
young adults 18-28 years. Fifty three (13.4%) of the food handlers have active
diarrhea during the study period. Stool cultures revealed the isolation of
10(2.5%) Shigella species. No S. typhi
was isolated. All shigella species were sensitive for ciprofloxacin and
ceftriaxone. Thirty percent of the isolates were resistant for amoxicillin and
tetracycline.

Conclusion: Isolation
of Shigella species from food handlers pose significant risk on the student’s
population being served in the cafeteria. Therefore, it is essential for
University of Gondar to implement food handlers training on food safety,
conduct periodic medical checkup and continuous monitoring of personal hygiene.

Keywords

Food handlers, Shigella species, Gondar

References

• Scheule, B. Farm to Fork: Critical Control Points for Food Safety. Journal Nutrition in Recipe and Menu Development 2001, 3:3-27.
• Badrie, N. Odwn R. Consumer Awareness and Perception to Food Safety Hazards in Trinidad, West Indies. Int J Consumer Studies 2006, 17: 370-377.
• Egan M.B, Raats M.M., Grubb S.M., Eves A., Lumbers M.L, Dean M.S. et al. A Review of Food Safety and Food Hygiene Training Studies in the Commercial Sector. Food Control, 2007, 18: 1180-1190.
• Molins, R.A, Motarjemi, Y. and Käferstein F.K. Irradiation: a Critical Control Point in Ensuring the Microbiological Safety of Raw Foods. Food Control 2001, 12: 347-356.
• Zeru K, Kumie A: Sanitary conditions of food establishments in Mekelle town, Tigray, North Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev 2007, 21: 3-11.
• Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC). Food borne Illness. International Food Safety Consultancy 2005.
• Salvato Joseph A. Environmental Engineering and Sanitation. Fourth Edition. A Wiley Interscience publication, John Wiley & Sons INC, New York, 1992.
• Anding DJ, Boleman C, and Thompson B. Self –Reported Changes in Food Safety Behaviors among Food service Employees: Impact of a Retail Food Safety Education Program. Journal of Food Science Education/JFSE/ 2007, 6:72-76.
• Acikel CH, Ogur R, Yaren H, Gocgeldi E, Ucar M, Kir T. The Hygiene Training of Food Handlers at a Teaching Hospital. Food Control, 2007 19: 186-190.
• Lynch M, Painter J, Woodruff R, Braden C, Surveillance for Food bore Disease Outbreaks, United States, 2002. MMWR Surveill Summ 2006, 55: 1-42.
• Malhotra R., Lal P., Prakash K., Daga M., Kishore J. Evaluation of a Health Education Intervention on Knowledge and Attitudes of Food Handlers Working in a Medical Collage in Delhi, India. Asia Pac J Public Health, 2008 20: 277-286.
• World Health Organization. Health surveillance and management procedures of food-handling personnel. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1999: 7-36. (Technical report series no. 785).
• Kaferstein F, Abdussalam M: Food safety in the 21st century. Bull World Health Organ. 1999, 77: 347-51.
• World health Orgainzation. Guidelines for the control of shigellosis, including epidemics due to Shigella dysenteriae type 1.WHO2005.
• Michael E, Mohammad A , Mohammad Y. Risk areas and neighborhood-level risk factors for Shigella dysenteriae 1 and Shigella flexneri. Healthplace 2008, 14: 96-105.
• Andargie G, Kassu A, Moges F, Tiruneh M, Huruy K (2008) Prevalence of bacteria and intestinal parasites among food-handlers in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia. J health popul Nutr 26(4), 445-451.
• WHO: Basic laboratory Procedures in Clinical Bacteriology. 2nd edition. Geneva: WHO; 2003. P.37-50.
• Bauer AW, Kirby WM, Sherris JC, Turch M: Antibiotic susceptibility testing by standard single disk method. Am J Clin Pathol 1966, 45: 493-496.
• Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Methods for determining bactericidal activity of antimicrobial agents. Tentative Guidelines, M26-TCLSI. Villanova, PA; 1993.
• Tiruneh M. Serodiversity and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Shigella isolates at University of Gondar teaching Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Japan J Infect Dis 2009 62: 93-97.
• Ahmed., Hassan H., Bacteriological and parasitological assessment of food handlers in the Omdurman area of Sudan. J Microbiol Immunol Infect 2010. 43,70–73.
• Al-Laham AB, Abu-Saud M, Shehabi AA. Prevalence of Salmonella, Shigella and intestinal parasites in food handlers in Irbid, Jordan. J Diarrheal Dis Res 1990, 8, 160-162.
• Tortora GJ. Microbiology an introduction.9th ed. India: Kidersly 2009.
• Assefa A, Mengistu G, Tiruneh M Salmonella Newport: outbreak of food poising among college students due to contaminated undercooked eggs, Northwest Ethiopia. Ethiop Med J 1994 32: 1-5.
• Andualem B, Kassu A, Diro E, Moges F, Gedefaw M. The prevalence and antimicrobial responses of Shigella isolates in HIV-1 infected and uninfected adult diarrhoea patients in north west Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev 2006; 20: 99-105.
• Dagnew M, Tiruneh M, Moges F, Gizachew M. Bacterial Profile and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern among Food Handlers at Gondar University Cafeteria, Northwest Ethiopia. J Infect Dis Ther (2013) 1:105. doi:10.4172/2332-0877.1000105