The study of consumed vegetable parasitic infections in Qazvin
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Outbreaks of human parasitic diseases associated with the consumption of raw vegetables, often occur in developing and developed countries. Objective: To evaluate parasitic contamination of edible vegetables in Qazvin. Methods: This was a descriptive analytical study in which 150 samples of different vegetables including leek, parsley, lettuce, coriander, radish, spring onion, tarragon, basil, mint, and cress; collected from several greengroceries in Qazvin during 12 months between 2006-2007 were examined. Samples were evaluated for presence of metazoan and protozoan parasitic contaminations. The vegetable samples were washed with water and tested microscopically after performance of sedimentation method. Findings: Fifty three out of 150 samples (35.3%) were found to have parasitic contamination. Among those 45 (30%) and 8 (5.3%) were revealed to be metazoa and protozoa, respectively. Metazoan contaminations were detected by observation of helminthes’ eggs 13 (8.6%) and rhabditoid larva 32 (21.4%) in vegetables. The highest rate of contamination was detected in leek (60%), and the lowest in coriander and radish (20%). Regarding the parasitic infestation, rhabditoid larva with 21.4% and Hymenolepis nana ova with 0.7% were shown to have the highest and lowest rates, respectively. Conclusion: Based on our results, edible vegetables in Qazvin are the potential sources of several parasitic infections in human.
Authors: Mojtaba Shahnazi, Masoud Sharifi, Zahra Kalantari, M Alipour Heydari, S N Agha Mirkarimi
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2098147479