ASSESSMENT OF INTESTINAL PARASITIC CONTAMINATION OF RAW VEGETABLES COLLECTED FROM SELECTED MARKETS IN HAWASSA CITY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Intestinal parasite infections are the most common cause of disease in humans and the main contributor to morbidity and mortality. Consumption of unwashed raw vegetables is one of the key entry routes for such illnesses. This study focuses on assessing the presence of intestinal parasites on raw vegetables sold in selected markets in Hawassa City. A crosssectional study was conducted from February to April 2023 to determine the parasitic contamination of vegetables. The samples included 384 vegetables selected from 6 types of vegetable including lettuce, cabbage, carrot, tomato, green pepper, and potato. The samples were transported to the laboratory and analyzed using direct microscopy and staining methods. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon sign ranked test in SPSS software. Analyses revealed that out of the 384 samples collected, 196(51.04%) were contaminated with intestinal parasites. The identified parasite include Giardia lamblia 31.7%, Entamoeba histolytica 26.8%, Ascaris lumbricoides 21.3%, Cryptosporidium parvum 13.5%, Strongyloides stercoralis 12.2%, Enterobius vermicularis 6.7%, Balantidum coli 6.5%, Entamoeba coli 3.1%, hookworm 2.6%, Cyclospora caytanesis 1.8%, Isospora belli 1.8% and Trichuris trichiura 1.8%. The contamination varied among different vegetable types, with cabbage 75%, lettuce 70.3%, potato 56.3%, tomato 39.1%, carrot 37.5% and green pepper 28.1%. The samples were contaminated with eggs 22.6%, larvae 22.6%, cysts 61.7%, trophozoites 6.5% and oocysts 17.1%. The findings of this study highlight the presence of intestinal parasites on raw vegetables sold in selected local markets in Hawassa City, Ethiopia. The vendors and consumers should practice proper sanitation and hygiene practices, as well as wear appropriate footwear