Background: Food handlers with poor personal hygiene practices serve as major sources of pathogenic S. aureus which potentially causes to food intoxication.  Researchers reported that 30-50% of the human populations are carriers of S. aureus more of in their nasopharynx. This study aimed to evaluate nasal and hand prevalence of S. aureus and its antimicrobial resistance pattern and other associated factors among food handlers

Methods and materials: A cross sectional study was carried out on the prevalence of S.aureus in the nose and on the hand of food handlers working in restaurants and hotels of Jimma town from Feb 30 to May 30, 2017. Food establishments and food handlers were selected by Simple random Sampling (lottery) method. Swabs from nares and hands of food handlers were collected then drug sensitivity tests and food samples microbial quality were processed using standard microbiologic protocols.  All  data  were  entered  into  an  Epi  data  3.1  and  SPSS  version-21.0 windows  statistical  software. P-value <0.05,  at  95%  CI  has  been  taken  as  cut  off  point  for statistical significance.

Result: Among 300 food handlers 86(28.7%) were positive for S.aureus. This prevalence rate was  significantly  associated with  unfavorable  attitude  (P=0.020),  wearing  hand  ornaments (P=0.040)  and  for  waiters  job  category  (P=0.044).  S.aureus Isolates  (90.7%) showed high resistance  to  Amoxicillin  and  Penicillin  but  most  of  the  isolates were  sensitive to Ciprofloxacin(96.5%), Cefoxitin (95.3), Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid (94.2%). Certain isolates showed resistance to Trimethoprim-Sulphamethoxazole (37.2%), Cefoxitin, Oxacillin and Vancomycin by 4.7%, 7% and 7% respectively. Isolates resistance to Methicilin (MRSA) were (7%).

Conclusion: This  study  showed 28.7% of  food  handlers  were positive  for S.aureus  bacteria which  potentially cause  to  staphylococcal  food  poisoning  out  breaks.  Most isolates were resistant against Amoxicillin and Penicillin also showed high resistant against Vancomycin. All food  samples  microbial  quality  mean  count  (CFU/g)  was unsatisfactorily  contaminated  by aerobic  mesophilic  bacteria.  Therefore, food handlers need to get trainings and periodical health checkups as well as rational use of drugs is advisable.

Keywords: Food handlers, Nasal & hand carriage, S. aureus, Hotels and Restaurants