Intestinal Parasitic and Bacteriological Contamination of Raw Vegetables From Selected Farms and Markets in Nekemte, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the extent of intestinal parasitic and bacterial contamination of raw vegetables sold at Nekemte town and collected from selected farms near to Nekemte town. Samples of three different vegetables; cabbages, lettuce and carrots were collected from Nekemte town and selected farms and all samples were examined for intestinal parasites and bacterial contamination, to determine bacterial load and prevalence intestinal parasites. The results show that cabbages were found to be the most heavily contaminated vegetable in both farms and in markets by aerobic bacteria. The highest total coliform count was also recorded from lettuce in all vegetable farms. The highest faecal coliform count was recorded in cabbage sampled from selected farms. The high microbial contamination rates associated with these vegetable samples indicated poor water quality for irrigation employed in the overall production of vegetables in the study area.

Parasitic Contamination and Microbiological Quality of Commonly Consumed Fresh Vegetables Marketed in Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia

“…Cysts of Giardia lamblia 24 (18.6%) were the most commonly identified protozoa, followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 17 (13.0%). These results are similar to Ethiopian studies such as Aksum, 19 Dire Dawa, 17 Nekemte, 20 and Tigray. 21 However, it is higher than studies conducted elsewhere such as Arbaminch, 18 Jimma, 16 Wolkite and Butajira, 23 and Sudan.…”

Wastewater-irrigated urban vegetable farming in Ethiopia: A review on their potential contamination and health effects

“…Despite the great importance of the urban and peri-urban vegetable production in Ethiopia, as informal agriculture as a food source for the urban community and as income generation means for the poor dwellers, it is subject to numerous constraints and is causing high health risks (Delesa, 2017). Heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, chromium and mercury are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas irrigated with wastewater (Girmaye, 2014).…”

“…The result indicated that for the use of wastewater in irrigated agriculture, the presence of excreta-related pathogens gives particular reason for caution, especially where irrigated vegetables are grown and consumed uncooked as it is the case in particular in both African cities. Delesa (2017) conducted an experiment to determine the extent of raw vegetable contamination with parasites that could be transmitted to humans in Nekemte, Oromiya Region, on samples collected from markets. The result indicated a high risk of human infection since parasites which exist in association with these vegetables are capable of infecting human, especially Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts are highly prevalent from both farms and markets.…”

Evaluation of the Effect of Wastewater Irrigation on the Microbiological Quality of Vegetables in Northeast Ethiopia: Implication for Food-Borne Infection and Intoxications

“…2,12,19 The mean TBC of the cabbage sample in Nekemte Town, Ethiopia, was discovered to be 4.2 log CFU/g, which is a lower result. 20 Vegetables can become infected with pathogens directly from feces or indirectly by touch with human or animal faces, poor worker personal hygiene habits, contaminated water applied directly to the vegetables for irrigation or washing purposes, and the use of untreated manure as fertilizer. 19 Coliforms and fecal coliforms are usually indicators, and their presence indicates the presence of harmful organisms.…”

“… 18 Staphyloccous Aureus , Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella species, A. lumbricoide eggs, E. histolytica and G. lamblia cysts were also reported in Harar, Fiche, Nekemte, Mekelle, and Adama Town, Ehiopia. 2 ,12, 19 - 21 As a result, eating such microbiologically hazardous vegetables has been linked to a variety of food-borne illnesses that affect many people in both developed and developing countries, with the majority of cases reported in developing countries due to a lack of food hygiene regulations. 22 , 23 Researchers found that raw vegetable intake was responsible for around 75% of E. coli O157 illnesses.…”