Prevalence of helminth parasites found on vegetables sold in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria

BackgroundFor a healthy diet, people have been encouraged to eat lots of raw (fresh) vegetables and these can serve as vehicles of transmitting enteric parasitic pathogens throughout the process of planting to consumption. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of helminth parasites found on vegetables sold in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria.MethodsA total of 1130 samples of fresh salad vegetables obtained from retail markets were examined for helminth eggs and larvae by using standard methods.ResultsOut of the 300 lettuce, 250 cabbage, 200 garden egg, 150 carrot, 130 cucumber and 100 green-peppers samples examined, eggs of Ascaris spp., hookworm, Trichuris spp., Taenia/Echinococcus spp., and Strongyloides stercoralis were detected in 0.5%, 1.2%, 0.5%, 0.5%, and 0.6% respectively of all samples. The lettuce, cabbage, garden-egg, carrot, and cucumber samples were 8.2%, 2.0%, 1.0%, 1.3%, 2.3% contaminated with helminth parasites respectively with an overall prevalence of 3.5%. No helminth parasites were detected in green-peppers. Vegetables from the Gamboru Market were contaminated with helminth parasites more than the other markets (P < 0.05).ConclusionProper washing of vegetables is imperative for a healthy diet as the results of this study showed the presence of helminth parasites from raw vegetables used as salads in Nigeria.

► This is the first report on parasitic contamination of vegetables in Maiduguri. ► Potentially pathogenic parasites such as Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris spp. were isolated from washed vegetables. ► Vegetables from Gamboru Market were contaminated more with helminth parasites. ► No parasite was found on green-pepper. ► Hookworm eggs were detected significantly more than the other parasites.