Geohelminth parasite-stages found on Fresh Vegetables at the Eke-Awka Market, Anambra State, South-Eastern Nigeria
Keyword : Geohelminths, raw edible fresh vegetables, market
Author(s) : Ngenegbo, Uche. C And Iwuagwu, Uchechukwu. J
Abstract : Soil-transmitted helminth parasites or Geohelminths are one of the most common causes of human diseases that result in serious health and economic issues in many developing and developed countries. Commonly cultivated and consumed vegetables brought for sale in Eke-Awka market in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State were screened thoroughly using sedimentation method for evaluation of parasite and factors of contamination of fresh vegetables sold in Eke-Awka market in Department of Parasitology and Entomology Laboratory, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria. A pilot visit revealed that over 15 different types of vegetables are sold at Eke-Awka market in alternate days of the market, 9 types of vegetables were used for this study. Eke-Awka market was visited 6 times on every Eke day, and in every visit 2 of the samples of each vegetables used were procured, for assessment and analysis at the laboratory and each visit gave me 18 of the total samples. One hundred and eight (108) samples of nine different vegetables types such as fluted pumpkin, scent leaf, water leaf, bush buck, garden egg leaf, green amaranth, carrot, garden egg and bitter leaf were obtained from twelve (12) different sellers each. Ova and larvae of intestinal nematodes were recovered. About 38% of the samples were positive for different species of parasites, comprising larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis (57.4%), eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides (33.3%), and eggs of Hookworm (9.3%). The study also showed that garden egg leaf with 75% infection rate had the highest parasite load while water leaf and Bush buck, each with 17% had the least parasite load. There was significant difference (p