Legionnaires' disease became widely known following an outbreak of pneumonia in the United States in 1976. It is often caused by infection from artificial water sources such as cooling towers, water supply and heating systems, and recirculating hot tubs. To effectively implement infection prevention measures for Legionnaires' disease, collaboration among healthcare workers, water supply and heating system managers, building hygiene personnel, and other relevant parties is essential. It is important to note that outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease continue to occur frequently both domestically and internationally. While the number of reported cases of Legionnaires' disease in Japan has increased, the mortality rate has decreased but has stabilized at a lower level. Caution is also required as reports have been made in association with disasters and travel, in addition to artificial environmental water.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge level of street food vendors on hygiene in the Tamale metropolis in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study employed the health belief model as the theoretical basis. Quantitatively, the study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design to examine the microbial load of street-cut fruits and assess the knowledge and practice of vendors of cut fruits on personal and food hygiene in the study setting. The population consists of cut and vented pawpaw, watermelon, and street fruit vendors registered with the health directorate in the Tamale Metropolis. A convenient sampling technique was used to select 113 respondents for the study. The Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size to select one hundred and thirteen participants (113) out of one hundred and fifty-eight street fruit vendors in the Tamale Metropolis. The main instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. A questionnaire had close-ended questions which were developed using a 'Yes' and 'No' response, and a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1=Strongly Disagree (SD), 2=Disagree (D), 3=Agree (A) and 4= Strongly Agree (SA). The data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, means and standard deviation). The findings revealed that the overall knowledge level of respondents is low. The findings also indicate that vendors do not control the rate at which their customers touch their vended fruits. It is recommended that Street fruit vendors and handlers be educated on fruit hygiene practices through engagement by the Health Directorate Unit of Tamale Metropolis and the Ministry of Health. To keep consumers safe, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly must strictly enforce compliance with regulations on operation permits and health clearance certificates. Metropolitan sanitation officers must regularly monitor fruit vendors to ensure compliance with goods.

Hand hygiene is crucial in preventing healthcare-associated infections. In this study, we aimed to quantify the accuracy of subjective evaluation of hand washing through visual inspection and objective evaluation through images. The participants were 24 consenting nursing students, and the study used black light and fluorescent paint to generate sketches and captured images of the unwashed areas, which were processed. Handwashing training was conducted once a week for four consecutive weeks. We collected data in the first and fourth training sessions. We found that the percentage of the unwashed palmar areas was significantly higher in the images than in the sketches (p<0.05). The percentage of the uncleaned area as recognized visually significantly increased for sketches (p=0.01) and decreased for images (p=0.009) in the fourth session. The difference between the percentages of the image and sketch area notably decreased in the fourth session (p=0.002). When we checked the recognition percentage of the unwashed area by dividing the right-hand palmar side into six areas, the fingertips had the highest percentage, and the ball of the thumb had the lowest percentage. The recognition of the unwashed areas was low when comparing the subjective visual assessment with the objective imagery assessment. In addition, the percentage of the unwashed areas decreased with repeated training, indicating a decrease in the difference between the subjective and objective ratings.

Tanga City is the region with several micro-and small-scale pasta processing companies in the country. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the quality and safety of folded vermicelli produced by the small-scale processors in Tanzania. Samples of 1 kg folded vermicelli were collected from 14 processing companies, by the intentional cluster sampling technique. The samples were analysed for aflatoxin and microbiological (Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus parasiticus) quality. Moreover, physico-chemical quality was assessed in terms of diameter by using a digital calliper, moisture content by oven-drying method at 110℃± 5℃, breaking strength by the texture analyzer, and colour by colourimeter (Chroma Meter CR-400) of the collected samples were determined. In terms of microbial quality, the results indicated contamination by E. coli (1.25-3.00 Log CFU.g^-1 in 8/14 samples), A. flavus (2.23-2.83 Log CFU.g^-1 in 12/14 samples), and A. parasiticus (1.22-2.75 Log CFU.g^-1 in 2/14 samples) as they are beyond the set limits. The diameter varied between 0.90 mm to 1.73 mm in 9/14 samples and moisture content were 10.61% to 12.65% in 13/14 samples, being within the established parameters. The samples indicated low breaking strength with levels between 6.79x10⁵ N.m^-2 to 3.75x10⁶ N.m^-2 in 11/14 samples. The result of brightness (L*) were between 53.03 to 72.14 and yellowness (b*) between 13.68 to 19.48 indices, indicating that there was no significant difference at the 5% level, respectively, although 2/14 samples had red (a*) colour values (-1.32 – +0.56). However, 4/14 samples were detected with aflatoxin B₁ (0.60-0.70 μg.kg^-1), they are within the recommended level (5 μg.kg^-1). The study underscores the need for concerted efforts to enhance production and hygiene practices to ensure consistent compliance with quality and safety standards.

The study examined consumers’ Awareness in food hygiene and food borne diseases in Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The research design for the study was a descriptive survey. The population of the study consists of one hundred (100) consumers. Convenience sampling technique was used to select seventy (70) consumers from the licensed food vendors and thirty (30) consumers from the unlicensed food vendors. Questionnaire was the main instrument for the study. The questionnaire had both open ended and close ended questions was on the consumers’ knowledge and perceptions on food borne diseases and the safety of foods. Data gathered checked, edited, coded, processed and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. The study concluded that the consumers of vended foods have some knowledge of food hygiene and food borne diseases; however, they ignore the health hazards associated with poor food handling by food vendors and go ahead to patronize the food the vendors provide. The study also indicated consumers patronized street foods because prices were moderate as compared to the formal establishments and ignore the unhygienic conditions at the vending sites. The correlation analysis shows further that consumers patronage (r=-0.095) had negative and non-significant relationship with food handling practices. It is recommended that Consumers of vended foods should be educated to help improve upon their knowledge in food hygiene and food borne diseases to enable them make informed choices and also prompt regulatory bodies such as the environmental health officers on unacceptable food handling practices of food vendors. It is also recommended The Metropolitan/Municipal/District environmental health officers should ensure that inspection of street food vendors are carried out effectively, efficiently and regularly so as to monitor the food handling practices of the food vendors’ right from the time of preparation to the point of sale.

The purpose of this study was to examine the Free Sanitary Pad Intervention Programme for Girls’ Education and School Retention in Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana. Quantitatively, a descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study population consist of female menstruating school adolescent girls from these five St, Monica’s R/C, Nyankpala D/A, Nizamia E/A, Islamia E/A and Nawaria E/A junior high schools between the ages of 10 to 22 years who were beneficiaries of CAMFED intervention programmes in the Tolon district. A homogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select the five junior high schools and the one-hundred and fifty (150) adolescent girls in their menstrual cycle stage. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire. The data entry and analysis were done by using the SPSS version 20 software package. The data was edited, coded and analysed into frequencies, percentages with interpretations. The study concluded that, there were frequent distribution of free sanitary pads among the beneficiaries’ schools. The study also indicated that the education given to the respondents during the distribution of the free sanitary pads led to improved menstrual hygiene management practices. It is recommended that, schools within the Tolon district should put in place the necessary and adequate toiletry and disposal systems to ensure menstrual hygiene among students especially, girls, during that time of the month. It is also recommended that, Government should make it a priority to provide every school with some sanitary products and drugs to cater for the female student taken by surprise with her monthly flow or the pain associated with mensuration not interfering with her academic work.

The study assessed knowledge base of food vendors’ hygiene practices in Koforidua in the eastern region of Ghana. As a descriptive survey study, fifty (50) respondents made up of food vendors were purposively and conveniently sampled respectively for the study. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS Version 17 and converted into frequencies, percentages and tables. This study concluded that street food vendors do have relevant knowledge of hygienic food handling practices through the training they receive, but the knowledge they acquire is not put into practice. The study also revealed that effective and regular inspections by Environmental Health officers will couple stringent enforcement of all regulations governing their practices to streamline the activities of the food vendors for better health of their consumers. It is recommended that the training and certification of food vendors should be organized on a regular basis and should be designed using the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Point (HACCP). Environmental Health Officers must conduct follow-up exercises after training programmes to ascertain whether food vendors are putting knowledge they have acquired into practice. It is also recommended that, the Metropolitan/Municipal/District environmental health officers should ensure that inspection of street food vendors are carried out effectively, efficiently and regularly so as to monitor the food handling practices of the food vendors’ right from the time of preparation to the point of sale. This is to ensure that food served to consumers is safe for consumption. Vendors who do not put the knowledge they have acquired into practice should have their certificates retrieved and signed up for retraining.

Essentiality of water sustain life, and a satisfactory supply must be readily available to promote health, prolong life expectancy and prevent diseases. This study assesses the sources and quality of drinking water in Piwoyi community of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. Thirty-five (35) Boreholes and Two (2) Sachet water were identified sources of drinking water in Piwoyi Community. Six Samples (5 Boreholes and 1Sachet water) were selected at random and analyzed in the laboratory. The Physicochemical parameters examined include electrical conductivity (EC), pH, temperature, turbidity, dissolve oxygen (DO), chloride, total hardness, alkalinity, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, phosphorous, sulphate, sodium, potassium, fluoride, bicarbonate, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite, copper, iron and zinc; and Microbiological parameters include Coliforms, E-coli and Faecal Strep. The results of analysis shows significant concentration of physicochemical and microbiological parameters in the samples of water analyzed according to Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality thereby makes the water unsafe for drinking. Drinking from these sources of water will pose serious health risk to the people of Piwoyi Community. Therefore, the study helps to identify the contaminated locations as well as assist to follow emerging remedial measures toward controlling the contamination source in the community. It also recommends continuous monitoring and enforcement of environmental violations, aggressive sensitization on water sanitation and hygiene; adequate purification of water at domestic level; and government support on potable water supply and establish reasonable management strategies for sustainable water quality protection toward protecting public health.