Traditional and Novel Foods as Vectors for Human Parasitic Diseases

Abstract

Consumption of food contaminated with parasites pose a significant threat to public health particularly in underprivileged communities with inadequate access to sanitation and food safety practices. Unlike bacterial and viral infections, parasitic infections often develop slowly and are reported cause chronic health issues. However, due to extended incubation time, it is difficult to determine the source of the infection. The type and number of parasites in food, the temperature at which food is prepared and stored, as well as a person's immune system, all of these contribute significantly to the onset of parasitic infection. This mini-review focuses on common parasitic infections, their emergence with traditional and novel foods, transmission mechanisms, epidemiological trends, and effective prevention and control measures. Understanding these aspects is crucial for developing strategies to reduce the impact of foodborne parasitic infections on public health, particularly in vulnerable populations.