1Department of Clinical and Laboratory Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Misan, Iraq
2Department of Basic Medical Science, College of Dentistry, University of Misan, Iraq
Online published on 26 September, 2019.
It is well known that raw vegetables have an important role in human nutrition. And considered as an agent for transmission of intestinal parasites Therefore, the present study is designed to detect the parasite contamination in Misan city.
A total of 45 fresh vegetables were randomly collected. All samples were examined according to standard methods for detection of protozoan cysts, oocysts, helminth eggs as well as larva.
Intestinal parasites were detected in 23/45 (51.1%). The highest contaminated vegetable were celery (66.7%) followed by cress (46.7%), and lettuces (40%). Giardia lamblia cysts were the most prevalent (43.5%) followed by Fasciola hepatica eggs (34.7%), Entamoeba spp. cysts (26.1%), Hymenolepis nana eggs (17.4%), Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts (13.1%), Toxoplasma gondii oocysts (8.7%), Enterobius vermicularis eggs (8.7%) and Emeria spp.oocysts (3.4%).
These findings provide evidence for the high risk of acquiring parasitic infection from the consumption of raw vegetables in Misan city.
Vegetables, Intestinal parasites, Celery, Cress, Lettuces, Misan
