Frequency of intestinal parasites among food-handlers in Khartoum, Sudan.
Food-handlers (n = 1500) attending the public health laboratory in Khartoum, Sudan, for annual check-ups were screened for intestinal parasites by 3 different techniques (direct faecal examination, formol-ether concentration and floatation) to evaluate the adequacy of annual screening. Results showed that 29.4% of food-handlers were harbouring intestinal protozoa in stool samples: Entamoeba coli in 15.3%, Giardia lamblia in 9.7%, and Enta. histolytica in 4.3%. Moreover, 2.7% of food-handlers harboured intestinal helminths: Hymenolepis nana (1.6%), Schistosoma mansoni (0.7%), Taenia saginata (0.3%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (0.1%). We recommend more frequent screening of food-handlers and that the direct faecal smear technique is efficient for the detection of such parasites.
Babiker
M A
MA
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Juba, Suda. muna_abbas@yahoo.com
Ali
M S M
MS
Ahmed
E S
ES
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004986:Ether; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005511:Food Handling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D007454:Iodides; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D012997:Solvents; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019287:Zinc Sulfate
D004396:Coloring Agents; D005404:Fixatives; D007454:Iodides; D012997:Solvents; D004986:Ether; D005557:Formaldehyde; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; C010389:Lugol's solution