Prevalence of geohelminths on edible fruits and vegetables cultivated in rural villages of Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria

Abstract

Chronic and intense geohelminth infections can contribute to malnutrition, iron-deficiency anaemia, morbidity and sometimes, affecting cognitive process, and provoking intestinal obstruction or rectal prolapse. The prevalence of geohelminths on edible fruits and vegetables cultivated in rural villages of Ebonyi State, Nigeria was determined in this study. A total of 250 samples (five per product from each market) were examined for contamination by geohelminths using sedimentation and floatation methods. One hundred and one (40.4%) of the two hundred and fifty (250) fruits and vegetables were positive for geohelminths microscopically. Among the fruits, pineapple had the highest number of geohelminths, 18(72%) while Pawpaw had the lowest, 13 (12 %). And among the vegetables, water leaf had the highest number of geohelminths 16 (64 %) while bitter leaf had the lowest number of geohelminths, 7 (28 %). Geohelminths identified were ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (54.5 %), Strongyloides stercoralis (6.9 %), ova of Hookworm (23.8 %), Trichuris Trichiura (8.9 %), Enterobius vermicularis (5.9 %). This study shows high level of fruits and vegetables contamination with geohelminths in the study area. This portends a great risk of acquiring intestinal parasites by eating improperly washed fruits and vegetables.