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González-Ramírez LC, Djabayan-Djibeyan P, Prato JG, García Ríos CA, Carrero JC, Trelis M, Fuentes MV. Field study of parasitic contamination of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens in the Ecuadorian Andes. F1000Res 2024; 12:532. [PMID: 38273962 PMCID: PMC10808852 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.132957.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Raw vegetables have been considered vehicles of enteroparasites. South American countries are among the most important exporters of fresh vegetables, including Ecuador, which has a tropical climate and soils rich in organic matter that allow it to harvest throughout the year for sale to different countries. The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence of the parasitic contamination of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens grown in an agricultural area of the Ecuadorian Andes. Methods A cross-sectional field study was conducted with snowball sampling on 1,416 samples (516 fruits, 488 vegetables, and 412 leafy greens). Each sample were washed with water, and the resulting solution after removing the vegetables, was subjected to 24-hour sedimentation. The concentrated sediment underwent microscopic analysis. Results The overall positivity for parasitic contamination was 63.4%, with leafy greens having the highest contamination rate (76.9%) (P<0.0001), surpassing vegetables (67.8%) and fruits (48.4%). Cabbage (100%), onions (84%), and strawberries (60.2%) emerged as the most contaminated within their respective groups. Protozoa were more prevalent (49.6%) than helminths (15.5%) (P<0.0001). Blastocystis sp. (33.5%) ranked highest, followed by Eimeria spp. (26.3%), Entamoeba spp. (10.3%), Giardia spp. (8.3%), Balantidium spp. (6.9%), Cryptosporidium spp. (6.6%), Cyclospora spp. (4.4%), Cystoisospora spp. (0.5%), Strongylida (15.5%), and Ascaris spp. (0.4%). Conclusions The study reveals that vegetables and fruits for human consumption from this area of the Ecuadorian Andes are highly contaminated with various parasites, constituting a possible source of infection for humans and animals in this area, or in non-endemic areas where these products are marketed. The finding emphasizes the need for strict hygienic measures in agricultural crops, which will be properly achieved through the treatment of soil, manure and water used for cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Carolina González-Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigación "Análisis de Muestras Biológicas y Forenses", Carrera de Laboratorio Clínico, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, 060103, Ecuador
| | - Pablo Djabayan-Djibeyan
- Grupo de Investigación "Salud Pública", Carrera de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, 060103, Ecuador
| | - José G. Prato
- Grupo de Investigación “Estudios Interdisciplinarios”, Ingeniería Ambiental, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, 060103, Ecuador
| | - Cecilia Alejandra García Ríos
- Grupo de Investigación "Salud Pública", Carrera de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, 060103, Ecuador
- Facultad de Salud Pública, Escuela Superior Politecnica de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, 060103, Ecuador
| | - Julio César Carrero
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
| | - María Trelis
- Research Group "Parasites and Health", Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Burjassot/Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, 46010, Spain
- Joint Research Unit on Endocrinology, Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Universitat de València - Health Research Institute La Fe (IISLAFE), Valencia, Valencian Community, 46026, Spain
| | - Màrius Vicent Fuentes
- Research Group "Parasites and Health", Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Burjassot/Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, 46010, Spain
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