Abstract
Gastrointestinal parasites are considered amongst the most important threats to veterinary and human health worldwide. The transmission of these parasitic diseases usually involves the accidental ingestion of oocysts, cysts, eggs, and larvae, whose detection is generally achieved by classical coproparasitological methods, based on sedimentation and/or flotation techniques. These procedures might be inefficient or display a low sensitivity when performed on food matrices. This study aimed to assess the value of the FLOTAC technique for the detection of different parasitic stages of gastrointestinal parasites of domestic animals in fresh lettuce. Samples (n = 100) were purchased from public markets located in the metropolitan region of Recife (Brazil). A total of 79% scored positive for eggs and/or cysts of gastrointestinal parasites. Protozoa and nematodes were detected in 32% (32/100) and 64% (64/100) of samples, respectively, with cysts of the genus Entamoeba (32%) and eggs of nematodes of the order Strongylida (30%) being the most frequently diagnosed. The findings herein reported demonstrate that the FLOTAC technique can be successfully applied for recovering food-borne parasites of medical and veterinary concern in food matrices.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
