Gobena Tesfaye, Belina Dinaol, Kebede Ameha, Chimdessa Meseret, Jemal Abduleziz, Husen Chafe, Hald Tine
College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
Environ Health Insights. 2024 Oct 7;18:11786302241288167. doi: 10.1177/11786302241288167. eCollection 2024.
Foodborne pathogens (FBPs) are transmitted principally through the consumption of contaminated food or drinking water and pose a remarkable public health risk, particularly in low-income countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2023 to estimate the prevalence, co-occurrence, and monthly patterns of FBPs in the physical exposures of children with diarrhea in Harar town and Kersa district, Ethiopia. Animal, food, and environmental samples were collected from direct or indirect contact sites of children with diarrhea. The isolation and identification of FBPs, including nontyphoidal (NTS), diarrheagenic (DEC), and , was performed using selective and deferential culture media and a series of biochemical tests. Among the 438 analyzed samples, the overall prevalence of these pathogens was 18.3%, with 3.9% co-occurrence and 14.4% single pathogen occurrence rates. The highest prevalence was observed in wastewater (40.9%; AOR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.1-10.1). The pathogen detection rate in food was 17.9% (AOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 0.4-3.6), with no significant difference between animal-sourced and other food categories. The occurrence rates of NTS, DEC, and in the meat samples were 13.9%, 5.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. Interestingly, DEC and were detected in cooked food. Moreover, was detected in drinking water (5%) and other water sources (10%). A significantly higher prevalence of FBPs was detected in poultry than in cattle and camel feces. This study revealed fluctuations in the monthly occurrence patterns of FBPs, with a peak of 37.1% during the dry season. In conclusion, the study revealed a high prevalence of FBPs, with no significant differences between rural and urban areas or food and water sources, highlighting the need for food safety measures in both settings. Further studies with larger sample sizes and advanced diagnostics are recommended to determine the relative contribution of each source.
食源性病原体（FBPs）主要通过食用受污染的食物或饮用水传播，对公众健康构成重大风险，在低收入国家尤为如此。2021年11月至2023年1月进行了一项横断面研究，以估计埃塞俄比亚哈勒尔镇和克尔萨区腹泻儿童实际接触物中食源性病原体的流行率、共现情况和月度模式。从腹泻儿童的直接或间接接触部位采集动物、食物和环境样本。使用选择性和鉴别性培养基以及一系列生化试验对包括非伤寒（NTS）、致泻性（DEC）等食源性病原体进行分离和鉴定。在438份分析样本中，这些病原体的总体流行率为18.3%，共现率为3.9%，单一病原体发生率为14.4%。在废水中观察到最高流行率（40.9%；调整后比值比[AOR]=3.3；95%置信区间[CI]：1.1-10.1）。食物中的病原体检测率为17.9%（AOR=1.2；95%CI：0.4-3.6），动物源性食物和其他食物类别之间无显著差异。肉类样本中NTS、DEC和[具体病原体名称未给出]的发生率分别为13.9%、5.4%和6.5%。有趣的是，在熟食中检测到DEC和[具体病原体名称未给出]。此外，在饮用水（5%）和其他水源（10%）中检测到[具体病原体名称未给出]。在家禽中检测到的食源性病原体流行率显著高于牛和骆驼粪便中的流行率。这项研究揭示了食源性病原体月度发生模式的波动，旱季峰值为37.1%。总之，该研究揭示了食源性病原体的高流行率，农村和城市地区或食物和水源之间无显著差异，突出了在这两种环境中采取食品安全措施的必要性。建议进行更大样本量和先进诊断方法的进一步研究，以确定每种来源的相对贡献。
