Contamination of Fresh Vegetables with Protozoan Parasites, in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Abstract

Background: Vegetables are essential for the human body and they constitute the main daily consumed diet. However, vegetable consumption is one of the main routes of transmission of intestinal parasites in humans. Objective: This study aimed to investigate parasites that caused vegetable contamination in Duhok city, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Materials and Methods: In the current study, from June 2021 through August 2021, a total of 166 samples of fresh vegetables were collected from several markets in different places of Duhok city. Samples were examined microscopically for parasitic investigation. Results: It was shown that 10.2% of vegetables were contaminated with parasites, but with no significant margin between contaminated and non-contaminated vegetables (P value = 0.81). The parasitic contamination was detected in lettuce (15%), parsley (14.3%), and radish (14.3%), with no parasitic contamination in both carrot and cucumber. Three types of parasites were detected in vegetable samples; they were in the order of 5.4% for Entamoeba spp., 4.2% Giardia lamblia, and 1.2% Balantidium coli. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study identified fresh vegetable contamination with protozoan parasites in moderate rate, which can play an important role in the transmission of pathogenic intestinal parasites.