Contamination by intestinal parasites in vegetables marketed in an area of Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Keywords:
Foodborne diseases, Helminthiasis, Parasites, VegetablesAbstract
Objective
The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of helminthes and intestinal protozoa in vegetables commercialized in Diamantina, a municipality located at Jequitinhonha Valley, one of the poorest regions of the world.
Methods
A total of 108 specimens, including lettuce, green onion and rocket, were monthly collected from the most popular open street market, green grocery and supermarket of the municipality. The samples were processed by a concentration method and evaluated by light microscopy for parasitological identification.
Results
The percentage of contamination was 50.9% (55/108), with predominance of nematode larvae (36.5%), cysts of Entamoeba coli (26.0%) and eggs of hookworms/Strongyloides spp. (12.9%). Lettuce showed greater contamination rate (61.1%) and samples from the open street market were more contaminated (77.8%). Information collected at each point of sale pointed the field cultivation as the critical step for such contaminations.
Conclusion
Vegetables marketed in Diamantina presents a wide variety of intestinal parasites, which may represent a potential risk to the health of consumers of fresh vegetables.
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Copyright (c) 2023 João Gabriel Guimarães LUZ, Marcos Vinícius BARBOSA, Amanda Gabriela de CARVALHO, Samira Diniz RESENDE, João Victor Leite DIAS, Helen Rodrigues MARTINS
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