Prevalence of intestinal parasites among food handlers in Al-Medinah.

Fecal specimens from 13.216 food handlers (male) adults, representing 21 different nationalities, were analyzed for the presence of intestinal parasites at King Abdul Azeez Hospital, Al-Medinah. Approximately 14% of these individuals harbored potentially pathogenic parasites, the most common organism being Giardia lamblia (33%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica (23%), Trichuris trichiura (12.3%), Ascaris lumbricoides (11.8%) and others. The highest incidence of parasite load was found in Sri Lankans (40.7%). Although G. lamblia and E. histolytica were found in almost all the nationalities, preponderance of metazoan parasites with complicated life cycles occurred in individuals from tropical countries where optimal conditions of temperature and humidity are favorable for the survival and development of these organisms.