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Background: Fresh vegetables are eaten raw and may also be a source of food-borne parasitic infections. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of intestinal parasites in raw edible vegetables in Wad Medani central vegetables market. Methods: A total of 90 samples of seven raw edible vegetables were selected and examined using formal ethyl acetat...
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... four Out of 90 samples (48.9%) were collected before backing and distribution in the market by the local sellers and 46/90 samples (51.1%) were collected after distribution. Out of the 44 samples that were collected before distribution 8/44 (18.18%) were found positive and out of 46 samples that were collected after distribution 16/46 (36.6%) were found positive (Tables 3).Vegetables were categorized to leafy; Garden rocket and lettuce, pealed vegetables; snake cucumber, green onion and carrot and other vegetables; tomato and green pepper, the highest contamination was in leafy vegetables (52%) followed by pealed vegetables (44%) and the least contamination was in other vegetables (4%) ( Table 5). From all 25 positive samples, the parasites that recovered by sedimentation method were 11/25(44%) parasite and the parasites recovered by floatation method were 14/25 (56%) parasite (Table 6). ...Context 2
... four Out of 90 samples (48.9%) were collected before backing and distribution in the market by the local sellers and 46/90 samples (51.1%) were collected after distribution. Out of the 44 samples that were collected before distribution 8/44 (18.18%) were found positive and out of 46 samples that were collected after distribution 16/46 (36.6%) were found positive (Tables 3).Vegetables were categorized to leafy; Garden rocket and lettuce, pealed vegetables; snake cucumber, green onion and carrot and other vegetables; tomato and green pepper, the highest contamination was in leafy vegetables (52%) followed by pealed vegetables (44%) and the least contamination was in other vegetables (4%) ( Table 5). From all 25 positive samples, the parasites that recovered by sedimentation method were 11/25(44%) parasite and the parasites recovered by floatation method were 14/25 (56%) parasite (Table 6). ...Citations
Parasitic diseases are a major health problem in many developing countries. The consumption of contaminated fresh vegetables can play a crucial epidemiological role in the transmission of parasitic foodborne diseases including ascariasis and giardiasis. This review explored the occurrence of the pathogenic parasites Ascaris and Giardia on vegetables collected from markets, street vendors, groceries, and farms in the Middle East and North African countries. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect Scopus, ResearchGate and other sites, were searched for available data. Overall, 11 066 samples of 32 vegetable varieties, were investigated. The pooled prevalence of Giardia in vegetables reached 8.5% (range 0–16.9%) while that of Ascaris was 8% (range 0–27.7%). Ascaris and Giardia levels in crops ranged from 0.2-78 eggs/kg and 1–253 cysts/kg, respectively. The prevalence and concentrations of parasites varied depending on the type of vegetables, with the highest levels in leafy vegetables. The persistence of pathogenic parasites cysts and eggs in crops was addressed based on available data. The occurrence of pathogenic parasites in food crops implies potential health risks for farmers, produce handlers, and consumers. Suggested measures for risk mitigation include good hygiene practices, the use of clean irrigation water, and crops being appropriately washed and cooked before consumption.
Environmental contamination of vegetables and fruits with intestinal protozoan trophozoites, cysts and oocysts is a means of transmitting parasitic agents of public health importance. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the global prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasite contamination in vegetables and fruits. Several databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar) were searched for literature published up to August 2021. Pooled prevalence was determined using the meta-package in R (version 3.6.1). Out of 90,404 publications, 189 articles (202 datasets) met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 183 investigations documented protozoan contamination in vegetables and 20 in fruits. The pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval) was 20% (16%–24%) for vegetables and 13% (7%–21%) for fruits. The highest pooled prevalence was found in South-East Asian WHO region 37% (6%–76%). The most prevalent protozoan parasite in vegetables was Cryptosporidium spp. (11%, 7%–15%). As well, Entamoeba histolytica was the most common agent found in fruits (9%, 4%–14%). Furthermore, the unwashed samples had the highest pooled prevalence of contamination (22%, 3%–49%). Our data suggest a possible risk of protozoan infection in humans via unwashed vegetables and fruits. Accidental ingestion of protozoa occurs through consumption of contaminated vegetables and fruits that have been improperly washed and prepared under poor sanitation. Using sanitary irrigation water, consuming properly cleaned and cooked vegetables, and practicing good hygiene can all assist to reduce the risk of protozoa infection.
