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45926

Infection hazard of exposure to intestinal parasites, H. pylori and hepatitis viruses among municipal sewage workers: a neglect high risk population

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Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Background: Waste water may contain pathogenic human and animal excreta-derived micro-organisms that can cause infections. Municipal sewage workers are a relevant neglected high-risk population especially in the absence of effective protective equipment and lack of hygienic practices mainly washing hands. Objective: The present study aims to assess the hazards of infection with micro-organisms among municipal sewage workers as a neglected population, besides those infections that maybe acquired via sources other than their occupational hazard. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on sewage workers from different sectors in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. Collected stool samples were subjected to the following techniques; Kato-Katz, ether concentration, Jones' Media culture, modified Ziehl-Neelsen, and quick hot Gram-chromotrope staining. Stool samples were also tested for Helicobacter pylori antigen (H. pylori Ag). Serum was separated for detection of viral hepatitis C antibodies (HCV Ab), and HBV surface antigen (HBVs Ag). Results: Out of the 410 examined workers, 289 (70.5%) were infected; among them 111 (38.4%) had mixed infections. It was found that 56.8%, and 31.2% harbored intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and H. pylori, respectively; and 12.2% had hepatitis mainly HCV (9.8%). Protozoal infections amounted to 54.6%, and only 5.9% had helminthic infections. Blastocystis spp. was the most prevalent parasite (46.8%) followed by Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Microsporidium spp. (15.6%, 11.7%, and 7.8%, respectively). Almost equal percentages were recorded for single IPI and multiple infections (28.3%and 28,5% respectively). Significantly higher rates of IPIs and H. pylori were observed among workers who were in frequent contact with sewage. Also, IPIs were statistically higher among young workers (<40 years), while hepatitis was significantly more prevalent among those from rural areas. Conclusion: Although almost all the detected microbiological infectious hazards can affect sewage workers via sources other than their occupational hazard, our findings call for the importance of self-protection measures that should be in association with regular medical investigation and treatment.

DOI

10.21608/puj.2019.13679.1047

Keywords

Egypt, H pylori, Intestinal parasites, neglected population, sewage workers, viral hepatitis

Authors

First Name

Faika

Last Name

Hassanein

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Departments of Microbiology and Immunology,Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria

Email

faika.ibrahim@pua.edu.eg

City

-

Orcid

0000-0002-2964-4606

First Name

Inas

Last Name

Masoud

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Email

inas.masoud@pua.edu.eg

City

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Orcid

-

First Name

Amany

Last Name

Shehata

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Tropical Health, High Institute of Public Health

Email

amanyibrahim65@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

12

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

7111

Issue Date

2019-08-01

Receive Date

2019-06-15

Publish Date

2019-08-01

Page Start

130

Page End

138

Print ISSN

1687-7942

Online ISSN

2090-2646

Link

https://puj.journals.ekb.eg/article_45926.html

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https://puj.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=45926

Order

7

Type

Original Article

Type Code

426

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Parasitologists United Journal

Publication Link

https://puj.journals.ekb.eg/

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023