Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia

Background. Food handlers with untrimmed finger nails could contribute or serve as a vehicle for the transmission of food poisoning pathogens. Objectives. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacteria and intestinal parasites among food handlers and antibiotic susceptibility profi...

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Main Authors: Abeba Mengist, Yibeltal Aschale, Alemayehu Reta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6532014
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author Abeba Mengist
Yibeltal Aschale
Alemayehu Reta
author_facet Abeba Mengist
Yibeltal Aschale
Alemayehu Reta
author_sort Abeba Mengist
collection DOAJ
description Background. Food handlers with untrimmed finger nails could contribute or serve as a vehicle for the transmission of food poisoning pathogens. Objectives. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacteria and intestinal parasites among food handlers and antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolated bacteria in Debre Markos University, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods. This laboratory-based cross-sectional study involved 220 food handlers working in food service establishments in Debre Markos University between 1st January 2015 to 31th June 2016. Subjects’ finger nail specimens of both hands were examined microscopically for intestinal parasites. For bacterial isolation, samples were cultured and bacterial species were identified following standard laboratory procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for all bacterial isolates by using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results. Of the total 220 subjects examined, 29.5% showed positive culture for different bacterial species from their fingernail contents. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the predominant bacteria species (12.3%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (5%), E. coli (2.7%), Klebsiella species (2.7%), Enterococcus species (1.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.8%), Proteus species (1.4%), Citrobacter species (1.4%), and Serratia species (0.9%). None of the food handlers showed positive culture for Shigella and salmonella and parasites in respect of their finger nail specimens. Isolation of bacteria in finger nail has significant association with finger nail status (P=0.044) and inverse relation with service years (P=0.048). All Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species isolates were uniformly susceptible to vancomycin. Only one (9.1%) of Staphylococcus aureus isolates was resistant for methicillin. Conclusion. To prevent the food poisoning pathogens, implementation and adherence to infection are the key practices, specially food handlers with long finger nail harbor food debris, microbial contaminations, and allergens.
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spelling doaj-art-fe7477def7414178b7d690012d7902632025-02-03T01:00:28ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology1712-95321918-14932018-01-01201810.1155/2018/65320146532014Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest EthiopiaAbeba Mengist0Yibeltal Aschale1Alemayehu Reta2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaBackground. Food handlers with untrimmed finger nails could contribute or serve as a vehicle for the transmission of food poisoning pathogens. Objectives. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bacteria and intestinal parasites among food handlers and antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolated bacteria in Debre Markos University, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods. This laboratory-based cross-sectional study involved 220 food handlers working in food service establishments in Debre Markos University between 1st January 2015 to 31th June 2016. Subjects’ finger nail specimens of both hands were examined microscopically for intestinal parasites. For bacterial isolation, samples were cultured and bacterial species were identified following standard laboratory procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for all bacterial isolates by using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results. Of the total 220 subjects examined, 29.5% showed positive culture for different bacterial species from their fingernail contents. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the predominant bacteria species (12.3%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (5%), E. coli (2.7%), Klebsiella species (2.7%), Enterococcus species (1.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.8%), Proteus species (1.4%), Citrobacter species (1.4%), and Serratia species (0.9%). None of the food handlers showed positive culture for Shigella and salmonella and parasites in respect of their finger nail specimens. Isolation of bacteria in finger nail has significant association with finger nail status (P=0.044) and inverse relation with service years (P=0.048). All Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species isolates were uniformly susceptible to vancomycin. Only one (9.1%) of Staphylococcus aureus isolates was resistant for methicillin. Conclusion. To prevent the food poisoning pathogens, implementation and adherence to infection are the key practices, specially food handlers with long finger nail harbor food debris, microbial contaminations, and allergens.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6532014
spellingShingle Abeba Mengist
Yibeltal Aschale
Alemayehu Reta
Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
title Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
title_full Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
title_fullStr Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
title_short Bacterial and Parasitic Assessment from Fingernails in Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia
title_sort bacterial and parasitic assessment from fingernails in debre markos northwest ethiopia
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6532014
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