Intestinal Parasite Contamination of Raw Vegetables From Selected Farms and Markets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| dc.contributor.advisor | Petros Beyene (Professor) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Habtu Mahlet | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-07-03T11:58:47Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-11-08T16:39:46Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-07-03T11:58:47Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-11-08T16:39:46Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2011-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Raw vegetables can be agents of transmission of intestinal parasites. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of parasite contamination of selected raw vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, tomato and carrot) from farms and sold in major Addis Ababa markets. Sampling locations (Kaliti, Kera, Peackok, Goffa) were selected based on their accessibility. Merkato and Atikelt tera represented the vegetable markets. Out of 384 vegetable samples examined, 148(38.5%) were contaminated with parasite eggs and /or cysts. The parasites detected were Ascaris lumbricoides (20.3%), Cryptosporidium spp (8.6%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (7.6%), hookworm species (6.8%), Giardia lamblia (5.5%), Enterobius vermicularis (4.2%), Trichuris trichiura (1.3%) and Taenia spp (1.0%). Overall, the highest parasite contamination was detected in lettuce (58.3%), followed by cabbage (37.5%), tomato (33.3%) and carrot (25%). Lettuce from the farms were more contaminated (64.1%) than those from markets (46.9%) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The relatively higher parasite contamination of lettuce and cabbage may be attributed to their larger leafy surface areas. The wastewater used for irrigation was also contaminated with pathogenic parasites, which is an indication of the source of contamination for vegetables grown in Addis Ababa. Similarly, vegetables, whose irrigation status is not known, and sold in the markets, were also contaminated. In either case, the routine practice of freshening vegetables at the markets, by splashing with water that may have been contaminated with parasites could be an additional source of contamination. This study showed the high potential for human infection with parasites through consumption of raw vegetables from farms and markets in Addis Ababa. Therefore, there is an acute need for environmental health education and institution of sanitary standards for wastewater disposal and use in Addis Ababa. Furthermore, given the fact that urban vegetable farming makes use of polluted rivers for irrigation, national guidelines on disinfecting raw vegetables for human consumption must also be provided. Key words: vegetables, parasites, contamination, irrigation, wastewater, Addis Ababa | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/5948 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | en_US |
| dc.subject | vegetables | en_US |
| dc.subject | parasites | en_US |
| dc.subject | ontamination | en_US |
| dc.subject | irrigation | en_US |
| dc.subject | wastewater | en_US |
| dc.title | Intestinal Parasite Contamination of Raw Vegetables From Selected Farms and Markets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |