Prevalence of parasitic contamination of salad vegetables in Ilorin, north central Nigeria
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Date
2016-06
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Mekelle University, Ethiopia
Abstract
Fresh salad vegetables are essential for good health and they form a major component of human
diet in every family in Nigeria. Raw vegetables can be agent of transmission of intestinal parasites.
The aim of this study is to determine the parasitic contamination of salad vegetables sold at
wholesale and retail markets around Ilorin metropolis. A total of 150 samples of salad vegetables
obtained from five different markets were examined for both protozoa and helminth parasites using
standard methods. About 25 samples each of lettuce, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, tomato and onion
were examined. Eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Enterobius
vermicularis, cysts of Giardia lamblia, Fasciola hepatica, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides
stercoralis, Balantidium coli and Necator americanus were detected in 28.0%, 23.3%, 11.7%,
5.0%, 6.7%, 3.3%, 10.0%, 3.3% and 8.3% respectively. Of the sampled areas, Ipata market
recorded the highest parasite prevalence of 63.3% while G.R.A market recorded the lowest parasite
prevalence of 13.3%. The most encountered parasite was A.lumbricoides (28.0%) while
N.americanus was the least (3.3%) parasite found. The study revealed a high rate of protozoa and
helminthes contamination of salad vegetables in the study areas. Parasitological contamination of
raw salad vegetables sold in wholesale and retail markets in the study area may pose a health risk
to consumers of such products.
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Description
Keywords
Contamination, Parasitic salad vegetables
Citation
Parasitic, salad vegetables, contamination, Ilorin