Helminthes Parasite of Some Raw Vegetables Sold in Some Selected Markets of Bauchi Metropolis

Greener Journal of Biological Sciences

Vol. 10(1), pp. 16-20, 2020

ISSN: 2276-7762

http://gjournals.org/GJBS

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Helminthes Parasite of Some Raw Vegetables Sold in Some Selected Markets of Bauchi Metropolis

^*Adamu M. B.; Samaila A. B.; Adamu S. U.; Tahir F.

Department of community medicine, College of medical sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, PMB 0248.

ARTICLE INFO

ABSTRACT

Article No.: 122819227

Type: Research

Vegetables form a major component of human diet in all levels of humans as food supplements or nutrients. They are also considered a rich factor for human parasitic infection. The aim of this experiment is to determine the helminthes parasite of raw vegetables sold at Bauchi metropolis. Eighty (80) samples of four different vegetable types which include Spinach, Lettuce, Carrot and Cabbage were obtained from four different markets of Bauchi metropolis and were screened using centrifugation method. Cyst, ova and larvae of intestinal cestodes and nematodes were recovered. 42 (52.50%) of the sample were positive for different species of parasites, 2(4.76%) were ova of H. nana, 5(11.90%) were cyst of Teania sp, 16(38.57%) were Ascaris lumbriciodes, 12(28.57%) were Trichuris tricura, 3(7.14%) were Hookworm sp, 3(7.14%) were larva of Strongyloides starcoralis and 1(2.3%) was Enterovius vermicularis. Ascaris lumbricoides with 38.09% of positive cases has the highest occurrence while Enterovius vermicularis has the least occurrences. The study also revealed that spinach with about 80% infection rate has the highest parasitic load while carrot with just 35% has the lowest parasitic load. Lettuce was found to have the highest multiple parasitic contaminations of six (6) different types of parasites whereas carrot had the least multiple parasites of two (2) and none of these vegetables had single parasitic contamination. From this result, there is clear indication that helminth parasites can be acquired through eating of improperly prepared vegetables.

Accepted: 06/01/2020

Published: 31/01/2020

*Corresponding Author

Adamu M.B.

E-mail: Maryambappah045@ gmail.com

Keywords: vegetable; helminthes parasites; markets; contamination

1. INTRODUCTION

Vegetable in its broadest sense refers to any kind of plant life or product of plant. It is commonly referred to as the fresh edible portion of the herbaceous plant root, stem, leaves or fruits. These plants are either eaten fresh or prepared in a number of ways. They form a major component of human diet in all levels of humans as food supplement or nutrients (Ball, 2006). Helminthes parasites are worm-like organisms that live and feed on living hosts, receiving nourishment and protection while disrupting their host nutrient absorption causing weakness and disease. They can live inside humans as well as other animals. The clinically relevant group is separated according to their external shape and the host organ they inhibit. They include trematode, cestodes and nematodes (Robertson et al., 2001).

Cultivation of vegetables in many part of the world has been amplified with the application of fertilizer and or manure. In Africa, the transmission of intestinal parasite has been considered to increase successfully due to animal dung used as manure and untreated human feces which serve as an enhancement of zoonotic parasitic infection (Luka et al., 2000). Consumption of raw unhygienic ally prepared vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, lettuce, carrots etc. is considered to be a risk factor for human parasitic infection (Ojemudia, 2011).

The climate, vegetation and topography of Bauchi state, especially Bauchi south senatorial district is suitable for the cultivation of these vegetables. They are grown throughout the year using rain water during wet season and irrigation during dry season. Irrigation water is derived from two sources, rivers and ponds, these two sources are usually highly polluted with human and animal feces. It is a known fact that the use of excreta - polluted irrigation water is a health risk to the farmer and consumer of the crops so produced. Unhygienic sewage disposal and absence of its treatment facilities pose potential health hazards through contaminating irrigated food crops in urban and suburban areas of African countries including Nigeria (Damen et al., 2007 and Ojemudia, 2011). The infection can be a household affair where infected children or persons provide the chief source of soil contamination by their promiscuous defecation in the soil. Market vegetables are often contaminated by eggs of human intestinal parasites where night soil is extensively used as fertilizer or waste water reuse is practiced (Damen et al., 2007). This study is aimed at examining some commercially sold vegetables for the presence of helminthes parasite, identifying different species of helminthes parasites associated with the vegetables sampled isolating larva, cyst and ova of some of the helminthes parasite and to suggest proper ways of handling these vegetables.

2. MATERIALS AND METHOD

2.1 Study Area:

The study was conducted in Bauchi local government area of Bauchi state. The state lies in the northeastern zone of Nigeria; it occupies a total land area of 66,510,045sq.km, this represents 7.2% of Nigeria land area. It borders with Kano state to the North, Plateau state to the West, Borno and Adamawa to the North West. The greatest length from North to South and East to West is 330 and 320 kilometers respectively.

2.2 Sample collection:

Vegetables used were cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), carrot (Daucus carota) and spinach (spinacia oleracea). The vegetables were bought from four different markets namely: Muda Lawal, Bayara , Wunti and Yelwan Tudu markets, all in Bauchi town. The vegetables were collected in four batches; a total of eighty (80) samples were used i.e. five of each of the vegetables from the four markets mentioned, they were wrapped in clean polythene bags and labeled and then transported to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University microbiology laboratory.

2.2.1 Parasitological techniques (Examination)

2.2.2 Macroscopic Examination: Each of the samples was microscopically examined for the presence of segment of cestodes and adult nematodes as described by Cheesbrough, 2005.

2.2.3 Microscopic examination: The samples were washed with formal saline according to their batches in 100 ml round bottom clean plastic containers. These were allowed to stand on the bench for one hour to allow time for proper sedimentation. The supernatant was discarded with a Pasteur pipette leaving about 15ml at the bottom. 10ml of the deposit mixture was transferred into a centrifuge tube and spun for five minutes at 3,000 rpm. The supernatant was decanted while the deposit was Re-suspended with 10% formal saline. This was centrifuged, the supernatant was decanted and the deposit was then transferred to a clean glass slide. A drop of iodine was added to stain the cyst; it was then covered with a cover slip avoiding air bubbles and over floating. x10 and x40 objectives were used for examination (Tello et al., 2012).

2.3.3 Identification of parasites: A Chart that contains the diagram of the various eggs, cyst and ova of different helminthes parasites was used for the specific identification of the parasite eggs, cyst and ova (Cheesbrough, 2005).

3. RESULTS

3.1 Different types of Parasites Encountered in the Raw vegetables

The different types of parasites encountered and their frequency of occurrences is given in figure I and they include some species of cestodes and nematodes. The cestodes seen were Hymenolepsis nana, and Teania spp and the nematodes encountered include Ascaris lumbriciodes, Trichuris trichuira, hookworm spp, Strongyliodes starcoralis and Enterovius vermicularis. Ascaris lumbriciodes shows the highest frequency of occurrences (38%) while Enterovius vermicularis shows the least occurrence (2%).

3.2 Intensity of Contamination in Different Markets

The highest intensity of 14 (70%) positive cases was recorded in Muda Lawal market while the lowest intensity of 7(35%) occurred in Yelwan Tudu market. Bayara market followed Muda Lawal with 12(60%) positive cases out of the 20 samples examined in that market then Wunti market with just 9(45%) positive cases as it is given in table 1.

3.3 Parasitic Contamination on Different Vegetables

The parasitic contamination of the different vegetables was depicted in table 2 below. Lettuce was found to have the highest poly- parasitic contamination of 6 (60%) different species of parasite; spinach was next with 5(80%) species of parasites then cabbage with 3(40%) different species. Carrot shows the least poly- parasitic contamination of just two species of parasites.

3.4 Rate of Infection of Each Vegetable

Table 3 shows the rate of infection of the different vegetables samples examined. Spinach shows the highest contamination rate of 80% followed by lettuce with 60% then cabbage with 40% and then carrot which is the least contaminated vegetable out of four with a percentage of 30.

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Figure 1: frequency of occurrence of the various parasites

Key: A: Hymenolepsis nana B: Taenia spp C: Ascaris lumbricoides D: Trichuris trichuira E: Hook worm spp F: Strongyloides starcoralis

E: Enterobius vermicularis

Table 1: Intensity of contamination in different markets

S/NO

Markets

Number of vegetable type sampled

Number contaminated

Percentage contaminated

Muda Lawal

YelwanTudu

Wunti

Bayara

70%

35%

45%

60%

Total

52.50%

Table 2: Different parasites isolated on vegetables

Parasite	Spinach	Lettuce	Cabbage	Carrot
H.nana	-	+	-	-
Taenia spp.	+	+	-	-
A.lumbriciodes	+	+	+	+
T. trichuira	+	+	+	+
Hookworm spp	+	+	-	-
S. starcoralis	-	+	+	-
E.vermicularis	+	-	-	-

Key: + present, - absent

Table 3: Rate of infection of each of the Vegetable Sampled

Type of vegetable	Number examined	Number positive	Percentage positive
Spinach	20	14	80%
Lettuce	20	12	60%
Cabbage	20	8	40%
Carrot	20	6	30%
Total	80	42	52.50%

4. DISCUSSION

The findings from this study have shown that helminthes parasite eggs, larva and cyst can be found at harvest on vegetables and this suggest fecal contamination of the vegetables and this might be due to lack of modern toilet facilities, inadequate health education, illiteracy and poverty that makes people defecate indiscriminately resulting in the pollution of water bodies and farm land. Consumption of vegetables from contaminated farm land raw or undercooked is a way by which the transmission of this parasite is encouraged; this is true with the belief that the consumption of raw or undercooked vegetables gives more nutrients (Bean and Goulding, 2000).

Isolation of more than one parasite per sample in this work reflects the possibility of a poly fecal contamination of vegetables which most probably result to poly parasitic infection in man (Chiodini, 2001). The high occurrence of these parasites suggests a high level contamination and persistence of human infection, this is in agreement with the work of Tamirat et al., (2014) who reported that life cycle of most of these parasites particularly Ascaris lumbricoides can withstand harsh environmental conditions. Consumption of spinach and lettuce with about 70% and 60% occurrences respectively is a risk factor as it can be a common vehicle for transmission of helminthes parasite especially when the hygienic condition of the consumer is poor (WHO, 1999)

In contrast to Gharavi et. al., (2012) who reported Strongyloides starcoralis as the highest contaminating parasite, this study reveals Ascaris lumbricoides as the highest contaminating parasite followed by Trichuris trichura as the second contaminating parasite which agrees with the work of Ojemudia (2011). The result was also in contrast to the report of (Damen et al., 2007) who reported Hookworm spp as the highest contaminating parasite.

From the result of this study the following conclusion could be drawn, Vegetables sold in some selected markets of Bauchi metropolis are contaminated with viable and infective stages of different helminthes parasite. This however indicates that humans are always at risk of infection especially as vegetables are naturally popular in the diet of people of all classes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are grateful to all those that assisted during this research work. Special gratitude goes to the laboratory technologist for providing all the necessary equipment that led to the success of this work, and to all those that helped during this work.

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