Detection of Intestinal Parasites of some Fresh Vegetables and their Consumers in Sana'a City, Yemen

Abstract

Background: Consumption of raw vegetables acts as a potential source for the transmission of several parasitic diseases. Aims: the present study was intended to detect the intestinal parasitic contamination in some common raw vegetables and their consumer in Sana’a, capital of the Yemen. Methods: One hundred and fifty samples of three types of common vegetable marketing in Sana’a. The vegetable samples were washed separately by using normal saline, tap water, water with salt, or water with vinegar 5% and the sedimentation was examined by direct microscopically. Also, fifty stool specimens were collected from vegetable consumers and microscopically examined for parasites detection. Results: The overall prevalence of parasitic contamination was 65.3%. The higher rate of parasite contamination was 76% observed in lettuce, 64% in mint, and 56% in watercress. The most frequent of parasite contaminant was Gardia lamblia (65.3%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica (34.67%), Entrobius vermicularis (47.33%), Ascaris lumbricoide (36.67%), Hymenolepis nana (35.33%), Ancylostoma duodenale (24.67%), and Schistosoma mansoni (24.67%). Also, the observation of higher contamination was found in vegetables washed by normal saline, and lower was found in vegetables washed by water mixed with vinegar. This result revealed that 80% of vegetable consumers were infected by parasites. The males had a higher rate of parasites infection when compared to females. Conclusion: This finding reported the high rates of intestinal parasites contaminated vegetables to represent as the potential source of spreading intestinal parasites to humans. Therefore, it is necessary for health authorities to educate consumers about the standard washing methods of vegetables prior to consumption.