Parasitological Contamination of Fresh Vegetables and Its Prevalence in Dessie Town, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Consumption of vegetables and fruits is vital for health as they are good sources of carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and fiber contents. On the other hand, vegetables and fruits are potential vehicles for the transmission of pathogenic parasites and protozoa that are transmitted through fecal-oral route.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the parasitic contamination of vegetable samples collected from farms, home gardens and street vendors in Dessie town.

Material and Methods: A Cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June, 2014 to determine the level of parasitic contamination of vegetables and fruits sold in Dessie town. A total of 150 samples of different type of fruits and vegetables were washed with physiological saline, followed by vigorous hand shaking in a clean plastic bag for 15 minutes and then examined using sedimentation concentration technique. Parasites stages were identified based on WHO guideline.

Results:Out of 150 vegetable samples collected, 95(63.4%) of the vegetables were contaminated with at least one parasite. E.histolytica/dispar (24%) was the most frequently detected parasite withG.lamblia cyst (1.33%) the least frequently detected one.The result also shows that therewas positive relation between types of vegetable and sites or sample area with p-value<0.000.

Conclusions: The present study showed that there is a risk of acquiring parasitic infections from consumption of raw vegetables and fruits in Dessie town. Thus efforts should be made to aware the public and restaurant owners in particular to properly wash or disinfect raw vegetables before consumption.

Keywords: Parasite, Contamination, vegetables, Dessie, Ethiopia