Seasonal Parasitic Contamination of Vegetables Marketed in Bori Central Market, Khana Local Governemnt Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Seasonal parasitic contamination of vegetables marketed in Bori central market, Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria was investigated. A total of 80 vegetable samples, (40 samples each during the rainy and dry season respectively) were purchased from the Bori central market. The vegetable samples were examined in the laboratory for the presence of intestinal parasites using sedimentation techniques and microcopy. The results revealed that out of 80 vegetable samples (20 samples of each vegetable type and 40 samples each for rainy and dry seasons) examined, an overall prevalence of 41(51.3%) was recorded. Out of the 40 samples of vegetable each examined during the rainy and dry seasons, 23(57.5%) and18(45.0%) samples were positive for intestinal parasites during the rainy and dry seasons respectively. Across the two seasons, intestinal parasites belonging to four genera were identified. The genera were Ascaris, Giardia, Ancylostoma and Trichuris. A total of 23 intestinal parasites were identified during the rainy season (Ascaris 13/23(56.3%), Giardia 3/23(13.1%), Ancylostoma 4/23(17.4%) and Trichuris 3/23(13.1%) while a total of 18 parasites were extracted from the vegetables during the dry season (Ascaris 9/18(50%), Giardia 1/18(5.5%), Ancylostoma 3/18(16.7%) and Trichuris 5/18(27.8%). Carrot and tomatoes were the most statistically (P>0.05) contaminated vegetables in the rainy and dry seasons respectively. All species of parasites identified have a high relative abundance in the rainy season than in the dry season. Ascaris sp. (56.5%) was the most abundant species of parasite in the rainy season, followed by Ancylostoma sp. (10.0%), Giardia sp. (7.5%) and Trichuris sp. (7.5%). In the dry season, Ascaris sp. had the most relative abundance (50.0%), followed by Trichuris sp. (27.8%), Ancylostoma sp. (7.5%) and Giardia sp. (2.5%). There was a statistically significance difference (P<0.05) in the relative abundance of parasite species in the rainy and dry seasons. The high level of parasitic contamination of vegetables recorded in the study area is a public health concern and demands serious intervention especially in areas of health education on personal hygiene, sanitation and the danger of consumption of improperly washed vegetables, provision of sanitary facilities, mass deworming, open defecation and use of waste water for fertilizer.