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PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI AMONG FOOD HANDLERS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: IMPLICATION OF BETTER INFECTION CONTROL MANAGEMENT.

Article

Last updated: 23 Dec 2024

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Abstract

Introduction: Food handlers' health, hygiene, and adherence to proper food handling procedures in hospitals; all play a significant role in the likelihood of spreading illnesses. Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection is a substantial source of illness and mortality in humans, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a class 1 carcinogen. Aim of Work: To assess the prevalence of H pylori among hospital food handlers and the associated risk factors and its consecutive implication on the infection control principles for food hygiene. Materials and Methods: In tertiary hospital kitchens, a cross-sectional study involving 85 food handlers was conducted. All study participants received an Arabic-structured self-administered questionnaire containing questions about socio-demographic information, drinking water source, the crowding index, and hygienic behaviors while handling food. Stool samples were analyzed for H pylori antigen. Results: Forty of the food handlers (47.1 %) were positive for H pylori. Marital status, level of education, smoking and crowding index showed a higher statistical significant difference among positive H pylori food handlers.Wearing gloves were significantly associated with negative H pylori status, meanwhile presence of animals in the house were significantly associated with positive H pylori. Animal presence in the house, high crowding index and wearing gloves were statically significant predictors of H Pylori status. Conclusion and Recommendations: The prevalence of H pylori among food handlers was relatively high, with no age, gender or residence privilege. Its risk factors included marital status, level of education, smoking and overcrowding. Wearing gloves was one of its significant predictors. Strict compliance with appropriate personal hygiene and hygienic food-handling practices is required.

DOI

10.21608/ejom.2024.246443.1321

Keywords

Helicobacter pylori, Food handlers, Health care facility and Infection control measures. manual handling and strict adherence to safety protocols and practices to safeguard the health and well-being of workers

Authors

First Name

Fouad

Last Name

M

MiddleName

M

Affiliation

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt

Email

marwa.fouad@kasralainy.edu.eg

City

Cairo

Orcid

0000-0001-5669-4273

First Name

Hegazy

Last Name

A

MiddleName

E

Affiliation

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Email

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City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Ashoush

Last Name

A

MiddleName

O

Affiliation

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

ElSheimy

Last Name

A

MiddleName

H

Affiliation

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Attia

Last Name

A

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

48

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

47533

Issue Date

2024-05-01

Receive Date

2023-12-09

Publish Date

2024-05-01

Page Start

11

Page End

24

Print ISSN

1110-1881

Online ISSN

2357-058X

Link

https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/article_353560.html

Detail API

https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=353560

Order

2

Type

Original Article

Type Code

577

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine

Publication Link

https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI AMONG FOOD HANDLERS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: IMPLICATION OF BETTER INFECTION CONTROL MANAGEMENT.

Details

Type

Article

Created At

23 Dec 2024