Detection of Parasitic Contamination of Commonly Consumed Vegetables Sold at Obollo-Afor Market, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Vegetables are plant edible components that are eaten whole or in pieces, raw or cooked as part of a main dish or salad. The parasitic fauna of ten different vegetables distributed at Obollo-Afor Market, Enugu State, Nigeria, were investigated. The objective was to determine the prevalence of parasitic contamination of different commonly consumed vegetables sold at Obollo-Afor Market. Materials and Methods: The samples were centrifuged after being cleaned with normal saline and left to stand for 10-12 hrs to allow for sedimentation and the sediments were then inspected under a microscope. Using a modified Zieehl-Nelsen approach, the oocysts of the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum were found in vegetables. A questionnaire was used to gather information about the vegetables. Results: The overall prevalence of parasites found in the vegetables was 44 (36.7%). Ascaris lumbricoides ova (18.3%) was the most prevalent parasite whereas Trichuris ova (0.8%) was the least. False cubeb leaf (60%) was the most contaminated vegetable while African spinach (10%) was the least. As 17 (41.5%) vegetable sellers used clean water for irrigation, 1 (2.4%) used wastewater, 11 (26.8%) used animal (human) faeces as manure, 3 (7.3%) used organic manure whereas 4 (9.8%) used inorganic manure. Conclusion: There is a moderate prevalence of parasitic infestation, probably due to handling procedures from production to sales.