Intestinal Parasitic Infection and Associated Factors among Food Handlers in South Ethiopia: A Case of Wolaita Sodo Town

Abstract

Background: Intestinal parasites infection are one of the most common problem in developing countries and the spread of parasitic disease via food handlers is a common and persistent problem worldwide. The health and awareness of the food handlers is of great importance for maintaining hygienic quality of food prepared and served by them so the objective of this study is in order to determine the magnitude of intestinal parasite infection and associated factors among food handlers serving in Wolaita Sodo town food handling establishments.

Methods: Data on socio-demography and associated risk factors was collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and Stool specimen was collected from each food handler by using direct wet mount preparations in normal saline, iodine solution and formol-ether concentration sedimentation procedures as per the standards. The data was exported to SPSS version 16, then recoded, categorized and sorted to facilitate its analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple logistic regressions were used.

Result: A total of two hundred eighty eight food-handlers, (194 of females and 94 males) were included in the study. Their mean age was 24.38 years, Only 150 (52.08%) of the food-handlers had education above primary school. 153(53.12%) of food handlers serves for more than 1 year. Stool examination of food handlers revealed that 97(33.68%) had one or more intestinal parasites and 12(12.4%) food handlers have been diagnosed with mixed intestinal parasites. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent parasites 18(6.25%), followed by hook worm 17(5.9%). there was a significance association between Hand washing after using toilet and the presence of intestinal parasites (P=0.016)

Conclusion: Relatively high prevalence of intestinal parasite is found in the current study which shows poor hygiene practice of the food-handlers working in catering establishments at the study site. Such infected food handlers can contaminate food and drinks and serve as source of infection to consumers via food chain. Therefore, several strategies like stool checkup, public education, the application of health regulations, controlling the validity of periodic medical checkup and training on parasitic infection transmission are mandatory.