Abstract
BackgroundFresh vegetables are considered as vital nutrients of a healthy diet as they supply the body with essential supplements. The consumption of raw vegetables is the main way for transmission of intestinal parasitic organisms. This study was aimed at detecting the parasitic contamination in fresh vegetables sold in two central open-aired markets in Khartoum state, Sudan.MethodsIn this prospective cross-sectional study, a total of 260 fresh vegetable samples and 50 water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) were collected from two central open-aired markets (namely; Elshaabi and Central markets) during November 2011 to May 2012. The samples were microscopically examined for detection of parasitic life forms using standardized parasitological techniques for protozoans and helminthes worms.ResultsOf the 260 fresh vegetable samples, 35 (13.5 %) were microscopically positive for intestinal parasites whereas 7/50 (14 %) of water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) were found positives. Remarkably, high level of contamination in fresh vegetable samples was recorded in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) 36.4 % (4/11) while cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) were not contaminated. The identified protozoans and helminthes were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Entamoeba coli, Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides stercoralis, T. trichiura and hookworms. The most predominant parasite encountered was E. histolytica/dispar (42.9 %) whereas both T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides (2.9 %) were the least detected parasites. None of the fresh vegetables had single parasitic contamination. The highest percentages found in water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) was for Strongyloides larvae 60 % (3/5). It is worth-mentioned that the rate of contamination in Elshaabi market was higher compared with Central market. However, there was no significant correlation between the type of vegetables and existence of parasites in both markets and a high significant relationship was observed between the type of parasite and total prevalence in fresh vegetables (p = 0.000).ConclusionThe study has identified a moderate rate of fresh vegetables contaminated with protozoan and helminthes. Contaminated fresh vegetables in central markets of Khartoum state may play a significant role in transmission of intestinal parasitic infections to humans, and the water used by greengrocers to sprinkle vegetable(s) can be implicated in vegetable contamination.
Highlights
Fresh vegetables are considered as vital nutrients of a healthy diet as they supply the body with essential supplements
Helminthic eggs and protozoan cysts were detected in 13.5 % (35/260) of fresh vegetables examined and in 14 % (7/50) of water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) (Table 1)
The predominant parasites found in water samples used to sprinkle vegetable(s) were Strongyloides stercoralis (42.9 %), G. lamblia, A. lumbricoides (28.6 %) for each, and E. coli (14.3 %) (Table 2)
Summary
Fresh vegetables are considered as vital nutrients of a healthy diet as they supply the body with essential supplements. Vegetables are vital sources of energy that are depended upon by all levels of human as food supplements or nutrients [4]. They substantially improve food quality as rich sources of water, vitamin C, carotene, mineral elements such as iron, and vitamins including thiamine (vitamin B12), niacin and riboflavin [5,6,7]. Vegetables become a potential source of human infections like enteric bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens by contamination during production, collection, transport, preparation and/or during processing [2, 3, 10]. Contamination may occurs when fresh vegetables are rinsed and sprinkling with contaminated water [3, 12]
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