Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Salmonella Species among Food Handlers in Khartoum- State (Sudan)

Aims/Objectives: To screen the prevalence of Salmonella fecal carriage among healthy foodhandlers and to identify the common species of Salmonella among study population and its antibacterial susceptibility in Khartoum state by taking stool samples.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Khartoum state, Sudan, from January 2009 to December 2009.

Methodology: Stool samples were collected, processed and cultured on suitable bacterial culture media. Presence of colonies resembling (non-lactose fermenting) Salmonella species were further studied to identify the bacterium by using appropriate biochemical tests.Confirmation and serotyping of isolates were done by using Salmonella antisera. Antibacterial susceptibility test for common antibacterial drugs were also studied.

Results: A total of 387 stool samples collected from apparently healthy food handlers werestudied. Salmonella fecal carriage among food handlers was 17 (4.4%) and the highest prevalence was noted in Umbada locality (5.1%). Salmonella Paratyphi B was the commonest 14 (3.6%), followed by Salmonella Typhi 2(0.5%) and Salmonella Cholerasuis 1 (0.3%). Our study revealed that 141 (36.4%) of food handlers were illiterate, 29 (7.5%) werepreschool, 134 (34.6%) were elementary school graduates 68 (17.6%) and 15 (3.9%) university graduates. Forty two (10.9%) of the studied cases mentioned that, they sometimes wash their hands by soap after defecation, while, 9 (2.3%) never washed theirhands. The study also, revealed that 3 (17.6%) of positive food handlers have had history ofprevious typhoid or gastroenteritis. The study demonstrated that Salmonella species isolated were sensitive to co-trimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone and cefuroxime.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the presence of considerable number of Salmonella fecal carriage among food handlers in Khartoum state. Most of them were illiterate and had poor compliance of hand washing after toilet use. Study also revealed that isolated Salmonella species were highly susceptibility to the common first line antibiotics used in Sudan.