Diversity of parasitic contamination in raw vegetables commonly consumed in Shiraz, southwest of Iran

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the parasitic contamination of row vegetables at farms and retails, separately. MethodsA total of 224 samples from 8 different kinds of vegetables were randomly collected from the retails and farms (retails: 80; farms: 144) in the same area and then were tested for helminth egg, Giardia spp. cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by using sedimentation, floatation and common staining methods. ResultsIn total, 31.2% (25/80) and 36.8% (53/144) of retails and farms vegetables were contaminated with a variety of parasites, respectively. Parasites detected in retail and farm vegetables were Giardia cysts (3.7% and 4.8%), Taenia spp. eggs (2.5% and 4.1%), Trichostrongylus eggs (2.5% and 2.0%), Ascaris eggs (2.5% and 2.0%), Hymenolepis egg (1.2% and 0.0%), Cryptosporidium spp. (1.2% and 1.3%) and Trichuris eggs (0.0% and 1.3%). ConclusionsBased on our results, fresh vegetables can be a source of food-borne parasitic disease in humans. Public educationand awareness, washing vegetables properly and improving of sanitary and irrigation conditions of these kinds of food should be necessary.