title: Enteric pathogens of food sellers in rural Gambia with incidental finding of Myxobolus species (Protozoa: Myxozoa).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ongoing surveillance of enteric pathogens of public health significance among casual food sellers is undertaken in many resource-limited countries. We report the results of a survey in Kiang West province, The Gambia, and provide an exemplar methodology for such surveys in resource-limited laboratories.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unpreserved, unrefrigerated stool samples were subjected to Salmonella, Shigella and agar plate culture for rhabditoid nematodes. Direct microscopy, formalin-ethyl acetate concentration and iron-hematoxylin staining was performed later, following preservation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 128 specimens received, no Shigella spp. was recovered, while four serovars of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica, including Chandans, were isolated. Pathogenic parasitic infections were Necator americanus 10/128 (7.8%), Strongyloides stercoralis 3/128 (2.8%), Blastocystis species 45/128 (35.1%), Entamoeba histolytica complex 19/128 (14.8%) and Giardia intestinalis 4/128 (3.1%). A single case each of Hymenolepis diminuta and S. mansoni infection were detected. In one participant, myxozoan spores identical to those of Myxobolus species were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rare parasitoses and serovars of Salmonella enterica may occur relatively commonly in rural Africa. This paper describes intestinal pathogens found in a cohort of food sellers in such a setting. Furthermore, it describes two parasites rarely recovered from humans and demonstrates the need for methods other than microscopy to detect S. stercoralis infections.
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia r.bradbury@cqu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bradbury
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Institserovarute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barbé
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Institserovarute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Amadou T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Jallow
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Karamo C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Musa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colley
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wegmüller
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Babucarr
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jassey
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Yorro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cham
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Ignatius
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baldeh
authors.affiliation: MRC Keneba, MRC The Gambia, Keneba, The Gambia MRC International Nutrition Group, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prentice
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003132:Commerce / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D055766:Myxobolus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
keywords: Africa; Food sellers; Gambia; Myxozoa; Parasitology; Salmonella