Food Hygiene Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of the Food Handlers in the Military Hospitals

Improper practices and lack of knowledge by food handlers are contributing factors for the spread of foodborne outbreaks. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitude and practice of food handlers in military hospitals in Jordan. A Self completed questionnaire was answered by 200 employees;150 military employees and 50 civilian employees in 7 Jordanian military hospitals selected randomly one from the capital Amman and two from the three provinces. The results showed that the means of the percentage scores for the knowledge, attitude, practice, were 84.82, 88.88, 89.43, respectively and the overall knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP) mean percentage score was 87.88. A significant difference (P 0.05) in these values was observed between the military and civilian employee. The mean percentage scores for knowledge, attitude and practice were 88.5, 93.2, and 91.4, respectively for military employee compared to those for civilian employee of 73.7, 75.8, and 83.5, respectively. A significant difference for the overall (KAP) mean percentage score was also observed between gender, education and specific occupation of the food handler. Female KAP percentage mean score was 90.0 and that for males was 86.6;The college or university educations employee had a mean score of 91.6 while the elementary school education employee had a mean score of 79.7;The nutritionists and cooks had statistically similar means of 91.6 but these occupations significantly differ from the waiters 84.4 and cleaners 80.2.

Nationwide seroprevalence, spatial distribution and risk factors of Leishmania in Jordan

Objective:To explore the seroprevalence,spatial distribution and risk factors for Leishmania seropositivity in Jordan.Methods:Blood samples from 872 apparently healthy participants were randomly selected from 11 governorates in Jordan and tested for anti-Leishmania K39 IgG.Risk factors(animal ownership and agriculture practices)and demographic data were also collected using pre-tested and validated questionnaire.Results:Overall,2.52% of participants were seropositive for Leishmania spp.Participants living in the Jordan Valley plateau had significantly greater odds(adjusted odds ratio= 3.70,95% CI 1.37-9.93)of seropositivity than those living in the Highlands after adjustment for age.Conclusions:This study supports the intermittent reports of cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreaks in the Jordan Valley.Vector control measures in the Jordan Valley should be considered,including insecticide treated bed nets,sugar baits and using flowering plants to attract and trap Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies.Active surveillance in the Jordan Valley is also recommended in light of this and other reports.

Diagnosis of Clinical Cases of Infectious Bursal Disease Using a Modified Rapid Taq Man-MGB Real-Time RT-PCR Assay

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)is an important contagious viral infection of immune system of poultry.This infection possesses a permanent threat to the profitability of poultry industry worldwide.The aim of this work was to modify the Taq Man-MGB real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(rRT-PCR)in one step involving two fluorogenic Taq Man labeled probe and using this protocol for detection of infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV)collected from suspected cases distributed in different regions of the country during the period 2013-2016.The intralaboratory validation of modified method was realized for specificity,linearity,repeatability,sensitivity and reproducibility.It allowed reducing the test running time by six folds.This method was applied on 102 pools of bursa of fabricius(BF)samples collected from affected broiler farms suspected to be infected by IBDV.Birds showing macroscopic lesions including muscle petechial hemorrhages,hypertrophy and hemorrhage of BF,were subjected to molecular analysis using modified protocol“Taq Man-MGB rRT-PCR”.The validation satisfied all criteria and the assay developed could be a useful tool for a very rapid diagnosis of IBDV and permit to detect and to discriminate in one-step very virulent(vv)from non-vv(classic and variant)IBDV strains.Out of 84 IBDV positive samples,a prevalence of 39%for vv strains and 61%for classical strains was noted.These results indicate that despite the vaccination against IBDV,the vv form of this pathologie continues to cause serious problems for Moroccan broiler chickens.The obtained results indicate the successfully detection of IBDV and differentiated all vvIBDV strains from non-vvIBDV strains;Avian infectious agent RNA viruses tested are negative,demonstrating great specificity of the assay.The results obtained indicate that this method is suitable as a routine laboratory test for the rapid detection and differentiation of IBDV strains in samples of avian origin.

Experimental infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in European brown hare(Lepus europaeus,Pallas)

Objective:To investigate clinicopathological,bacteriological and pathological aspects of an experimental infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis(Y.pseudotuberculosis)in hares in order to verify the efficacy of serology for the in vivo diagnosis.Moreover,the pathogenicity of two Y.pseudotuberculosis strains was investigated in order to detect potential differences.Methods:Twelve European brown hares(Lepus europaeus,Pallas)were experimentally infected per os and via conjunctival mucosae with Y.pseudotuberculosis:six subjects were infected with a strain isolated from a naturally infected hare(YpH)and six subjects with a strain isolated from a naturally infected rabbit(YpR).Two hares were used as negative controls.All animals were subjected to clinical,bacteriological and serological examinations during 9 weeks following the infection and,at the end of the control period,subjects still alive were euthanized and submitted to a complete post mortem examination.Results:All faecal samples collected during the control period were positive for bacteriological examinations and to a PCR for the inv gene of Y.pseudotuberculosis,while only one Yp H-infected hare showed a positive haemocultures.From the 2nd to the 9th week post infection(pi),serological analysis revealed specific antibodies with titers ranging from 1:10 to 1:160 in all YpH-infected and two YpR-infected subjects.All the Yp H-infected and two Yp R-infected hares scored positive for Y.pseudotuberculosis by means of bacteriological investigations.Grossly,suppurative multifocal lesions were detected in liver,spleen,kidney and sub-mandibular lymph nodes in both YpH-and YpR-infected hares and confirmed with histopathology.Pulmonary lesions were observed only in Yp H-infected subjects.Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of bacterial antigen in all infected animals.Conclusion:Results of this study revealed that YpH strain is more pathogenic for hares than the YpR strain;moreover the serological test performed in this study could be used for the diagnosis of pseudotuberculosis in hares,whereas post mortem diagnosis should be confirmed by means of bacteriological examination,PCR,histopathology and immunohistochemistry.