Resumo

Food service establishments that prepare and provide food on a mass scale are important from the point of view of epidemiology of foodborne diseases. Diseases transmitted by foods continue to be important causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries and food handlers play fundamental role in the transmission chain. The current study was designed to verify the frequency of infectious microorganisms in the oropharyngeal cavity and nail, besides intestinal parasites isolated from food handlers. The data were obtained during sanitary inspection of the Municipal Sanitary Surveillance Service in eight manufacturing refectory of different industrials restaurants at Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco. A total of 70 oropharyngeal secretion cultures, 70 ungual scraping and 159 coproparasitological laboratorial decisions from employees of the feeding service were analyzed. The half of the handlers had one or more morbididy conditions. Oropharyngeal secretion cultures showed that 38,57% (29/70) of the food handlers presented microorganisms capable to produce some pathological process as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Stafilococcus aureus, Streptococcus β-hemolítico and Candida spp. Mycological test showed that 10% (7/70) of the handlers possessed fungus in disagreement with indigenous microbiota, to be seen also as numerous colony forming units. The handlers were colonized by Candida species, Rhodotorula sp. and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Coproparasitological test was positive in 20,75% (33/159) to be found Ancilostoma duodenali, Ascaris lumbricoides, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica, Gardia lamblia, Iodamoeba butschilii, Schistossoma mansoni, Strongyloide stercoralis and Trichuris trichiura. In addition, simultaneous colonization, by Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba histolytica was observed. Absence of hygienic-sanitary control by handlers constitutes one of the main ways to disseminate pathogenic agents. Although the clinical exam is the first step for the infectious diseases diagnosis, the laboratory is essential as support. In this context, we suggested the compulsory nature of the oropharyngeal secretion culture, ungual scraping and coproparasitological test as auxiliary exams in the aptitude diagnosis to handler function, as well as integrated actions of health surveillance, training on handling and personal hygiene.