Parasite Contamination and Detection of Cryptosporidium spp. by Real-time PCR in Vegetables Sold in Bulancak Open-air Market in Giresun Province

Abstract

In the present study, 192 vegetable samples were collected from the openair market by random sampling method between September 2019 and September 2020. The samples were analyzed by native-lugol, sedimentation, trichrome, modified trichrome, modified Kinyoun acid-fast and PCR methods. Data were given as percentage and mean. Descriptive statistics of the data set were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). The differences between the means were compared with the Pearson’s Chi-Square, Kruskal–Wallis and Likelihood Ratio Chi-Square test. P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Parasites were found in all collected vegetables and Cryptosporidium spp. (32.29%), Entamoeba coli (19.27%), Ascaris spp. (12.50%), Giardia intestinalis (9.38%), and Toxocara spp. (4.69%) were detected at the highest rate as a result of the analysis. As a result of the study, the presence of parasites was detected in ready-to-eat vegetables collected from Bulancak open-air market in Giresun province. Parasites can be transmitted by eating vegetables that are undercooked, uncooked, or not well washed. In this direction, it can be recommended to take effective washing measures before consuming fresh vegetables, to apply raw fertilizer and to educate the public about their application in order to prevent parasitic infection that may arise from contaminated vegetables.