Etiologic Assessment of Parasitic Contaminants on Raw Vegetables Sold in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Parasitic infections can occur by eating contaminated vegetables. This study was aimed at assessing the risk of transmission of intestinal parasitic contaminants from raw vegetables sold in Accra. Three hundred (300) vegetables (cabbage, carrots, green pepper, tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers) were sampled from Accra markets, and survey data on potential risk factors were collected from vendors using a semistructured questionnaire. Sediments prepared from washings of the vegetables were used for wet mounts, and the parasites were identified using a microscope. The parasitic contamination rate was 55.0%. Hookworms (16.2%) and <i>Strongyloides stercoralis</i> (14.6%) were the predominant parasitic metazoans, whereas <i>Giardia</i> species (14.1%) was the predominant parasitic protozoan. There was a significant association between the category of vegetables (<i>p</i> = 0.0489) and parasitic contamination. There was also a significant association between the mode of display of the vegetables (<i>p</i> = 0.0334) and parasitic contamination. Parasitic contaminants were 1.393 times more likely to occur in green leafy vegetables than in others and 1.762 times more likely to occur on vegetables displayed on the floor than those in baskets. There is a high prevalence of parasitic contaminants on vegetables sold in Accra, and this is potentially a source of transmission of parasitic infections if proper decontamination procedures are not followed before consumption.