Why aircraft disinsection?

A serious problem is posed by the inadvertent transport of live mosquitoes aboard aircraft arriving from tropical countries where vector-borne diseases are endemic. Surveys at international airports have found many instances of live insects, particularly mosquitoes, aboard aircraft arriving from countries where malaria and arboviruses are endemic. In some instances mosquito species have been established in countries in which they have not previously been reported. A serious consequence of the transport of infected mosquitoes aboard aircraft has been the numerous cases of "airport malaria" reported from Europe, North America and elsewhere. There is an important on-going need for the disinsection of aircraft coming from airports in tropical disease endemic areas into nonendemic areas. The methods and materials available for use in aircraft disinsection and the WHO recommendations for their use are described.

The effects of inspection frequency and food handler education on restaurant inspection violations.

The effectiveness of restaurant inspections and food handler education are not known. Consequently, the optimal frequency of neither has been determined. Thirty randomly selected restaurants from seven health units in three provinces were inspected by one of three senior inspectors. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The violation score worsened when the time since last inspection was greater than 12 months, but did not worsen when the interval was shorter. Those restaurants in which supervisors and food handlers had completed food handler education courses had better inspection scores than those without. Restaurants whose food handlers had food service education had better scores only for time and temperature violations. These outcomes were all significant in a multiple regression model. The duration of most education courses was under five days. The time since the last food service education course was not significant. Routine inspections should be done yearly. Food service education should be offered to both supervisors and food handlers.

The evaluation of the effectiveness of routine restaurant inspections and education of food handlers: restaurant inspection survey.

To determine restaurant inspection and food handler education practices in Canada, a survey of 141 jurisdictions was conducted. The response rate was 100%. All jurisdictions inspected restaurants, but the frequency of routine inspection varied from none to six or more times per year. The frequency of violations found on routine inspection was associated with foodborne illness. However, the frequency of inspection was not correlated with disease or with violations. Food handler education courses were mandatory in 32% of jurisdictions. Most courses were one to two days. No correlation was found between the numbers of individuals trained in the past year and violations or reported foodborne disease. This lack of reduction in reported foodborne illness may be due to the ecological nature of the survey or to the lack of effectiveness of food handler education or of routine restaurant inspections in reducing violations.

Routine restaurant inspections and education of food handlers: recommendations based on critical appraisal of the literature and survey of Canadian jurisdictions on restaurant inspections and education of food handlers.

Inspection of restaurants and education of food handlers are two methods used by regulatory agencies to ensure food served in restaurants is safe to eat. The variation which exists in the implementation of these programs suggests that the programs' effectiveness is lacking or is not clear. Recommendations based on the Community Health Practice Guideline methodology, the results of a critical review of the literature, the results of a survey of practices, and expert opinion were developed. The recommendations include: continuation of routine inspections at a frequency of one to two inspections per year per restaurant and the continuation of education programs. The evidence on which these recommendations are based is scant and more research is needed to ensure programs are needed, effective and efficient.