The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has emphasised the need for proper hygiene practices among food vendors to mitigate the spread of cholera and other food-borne diseases in the country.
The institute also called for increased surveillance, regulation, and collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, and public health bodies to strengthen food safety monitoring and enforcement.
The Director of Research at the Molecular Biology Department, Prof. Stella Smith, during the NIMR monthly media chat, highlighted the risks associated with contaminated food and water, particularly in urban areas.
Smith noted that over 50 per cent of the population relies on street-vended food. She explained that cholera results from ingesting food or water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae pathogen.
According to her, individuals who contract cholera usually come down with a hallmark symptom ‘rice water stool,’ which resembles the water used to wash rice, alongside weakness, fatigue, dehydration, excessive thirst, and low blood pressure.
Smith stated that NIMR had been actively responding to cholera outbreaks across Nigeria and had identified hotspots in Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Abia, Ebonyi, Port Harcourt, and Lagos.
She noted that while Lagos had an efficient response system that helped contain outbreaks quickly, most recent outbreaks is still above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) acceptable threshold of less than one per cent.
The researcher also reported findings from a recent study using the VIDAS (Vitek Immunofluorescent Assay Diagnostic System), a rapid pathogen detection tool, to examine street-vended foods in Lagos. She revealed that the study detected Salmonella in smoked fish samples from Yaba market, a pathogen known to cause gastroenteritis.
She stated that more than 200,000 Nigerians die from food-borne diseases yearly. Smith noted that monitoring mobile food vendors remained a significant challenge, as many operate without fixed locations, making hygiene enforcement difficult.
Smith referenced a study in Oshodi and Mafoluku, which found that six out of 100 food handlers tested positive for Salmonella typhi, the bacteria responsible for typhoid fever, with many failing to practice proper hand hygiene.
The Head of the Molecular Biology Department at NIMR, Dr Toyosi Raheem, underscored the need for continuous advocacy and engagement with food vendors, community leaders, and health officials.
He stated that the institute had initiated research and training programmes to improve food hygiene practices, adding that the reliance on street food among urban dwellers made food safety a critical public health concern. He also pointed out that population growth and inadequate sanitation further exacerbated disease outbreaks.
Raheem disclosed that NIMR launched a research project in 2023-2024 that involved advocacy efforts among food vendors, handlers, community members, and healthcare professionals, adding that the study was expected to expand nationwide due to increasing squatter settlements, which contributed to rising cases of enteric infections.
To address these issues, Raheem stated that NIMR had organised advocacy programmes for food vendors from across the country. He said a questionnaire survey was conducted to assess hygiene practices, followed by free training sessions at the institute. He added that community leaders were also engaged to ensure cooperation and prevent resistance to research efforts.
Raheem emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration, including partnerships with the Lagos State Government and healthcare providers. He highlighted the ongoing FOOD AND LAB project, which aims to curb the spread of food-borne pathogens exacerbated by urban migration, poor sanitation, and contaminated food and water.
Smith also raised concerns about Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a neglected bacterium linked to gastritis, peptic ulcers, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and gastric cancer.
She stated that H. pylori infects about 43 per cent of the global population, with only 15 per cent developing peptic ulcers and one to three per cent developing gastric cancer.
She noted that while H. pylori are not the sole cause of gastric cancer, eradicating the bacterium could significantly reduce the global burden of the disease. She questioned why H. pylori had not received as much attention or funding as other infectious diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and COVID-19.
Smith further stated that the prevalence of H. pylori in Nigeria ranged from 85 to 87 per cent, with higher rates in the northern region. She noted that diagnostic tests had been conducted to manage the bacterium, which could be treated with a combination of two antibiotics over 10-14 days.
However, she pointed out that treatment adherence remained a challenge, and the misuse of antibiotics had contributed to antimicrobial resistance. She cited a seven-year study previously funded by a German Research Foundation, which found that 95 per cent of H. pylori cases in Nigeria were resistant to metronidazole, a commonly used antibiotic and called for local funding to resume research on the pathogen.
She stressed the need for increased public awareness, noting that some physicians mistakenly claimed H. pylori was untreatable and instead prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
Smith explained that while PPIs reduce stomach acid, they do not eradicate the bacterium. According to her, H. pylori survives in the stomach by producing urease, which neutralizes acid, allowing it to persist for decades.
She also highlighted the African Helicobacter and Microbiota Study Group, established to address the neglect of H. pylori research in Africa. She noted that the group had created the African H. pylori Registry to improve tracking and management of the bacterium.
NIMR researchers reiterated the need for government support and public awareness to enhance the impact of their work. They emphasised that research data was essential for informing policy decisions and ensuring adequate resource allocation to combat foodborne and antimicrobial-resistant infections in Nigeria.
