Bacterial foodborne illness and

Background and Aims: Food-borne illness is a public health concern in developing countries because of improper food handling and sanitation practices, irregular medical checkups, lack of clean water supplies, and inadequate education among food handlers. This study investigated the burden of bacterial food-borne illness, antibiotic resistance patterns, and associated factors among food handlers in prison and nonprison food establishment settings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2022 to January 2023 among asymptomatic food handlers in Shewa Robit town. A total of 384 food handlers participated. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Stool and hand swab samples were collected and cultivated onto MacConkey agar, xylose-lysine-deoxycholate, Mannitol salt agar, and blood agar, and incubated at 37°C. Bacterial species were identified using biochemical tests and gram staining. Mueller-Hinton agar was used in Kirby Bauer's disk diffusion method. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Fecal and hand carriage rate of bacterial isolates were 106 (27.6%), and 214 (55.7%), respectively. Out of the 102 bacterial isolates, the most common ones from stool samples were Conclusions: Foodborne pathogens pose a serious health risk in the study areas. The level of antimicrobial resistance are also concerning. Food handlers should therefore get strict regular health education, medical checkups, and training programs to prevent the spread of infections to the customers.