Evaluation of laboratory procedures used for screening food handlers in the Sudan

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to find a suitable laboratory procedure for screening Sudanese food handlers for Intestinal parasites. Routine direct smear, formal ether and floatation techniques were compared. A total of 1500 food handlers who presented for annual checkups were screened for Intestinal parasites by direct faecal examination, formal ether concentration technique and floatation technique. The sensitivity of both the direct smear and the floatation technique was 64.2%, while the specificity of both methods was 100% when using the formal ether technique as the standard technique. There was a statistically significant difference of a p-value < 0.05. When regarding the direct smear as the standard technique, the sensitivity of the floatation technique was 39.8% while the specificity was 94%. In conclusion the formal ether concentration technique is the more suitable technique for a high sensitivity and feasible application in different regions of Sudanconcluded that the clinical presentation and MRI findings did not differ much from what is reported worldwide