PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OOCYSTS ON VEGETABLES COLLECTED FROM SELECTED MARKETS IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.
PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OOCYSTS ON VEGETABLES COLLECTED FROM SELECTED MARKETS IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.
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Date
2014-05
Authors
EMEKA, CHINYERE SUSAN
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Abstract
Fresh vegetables are important part of a healthy diet for people and can be agents of transmission of intestinal parasites. Some of these intestinal parasites like Cryptosporidium spp can be zoonotic with important consequences to the public health wellbeing of many of the consumers.It is for this reason that this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for this parasite in three markets (Kubwa, Karu and Wuse) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. In all four hundred and fifty vegetable samples made up of tomatoes, lettuce spinach, cabbage and carrot were collected from these markets, Nigeria. These samples were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidiumoocysts using sucrose flotation medium and modified Ziehl Nelson staining technique. Nineteen (4.22%) out of the 450 samples examined, were positive for Cryptosporidiumoocysts. Lettuce had the highest (5.56%) contamination rate, followed by spinach and carrots with 4.4% each, while tomato and cabbage had 3.3% contamination rate each. Among the markets, Wuse and Karu markets had the highest occurrence of contaminated samples with 4.67% each, while Kubwa had 3.3% contamination rate. There was no significant difference between the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and types of vegetables examined (x2 = 0.7693, p = 0.9425), and the markets in which the vegetables were sold (x2 = 0.4396, p = 0.8027).Vegetable samples had the highest contamination with Cryptosporidiumoocysts in December (6.19%) followed by those in September (5.3%). Vegetable samples in August and November had a contamination rate of 2.68% and 2.65% respectively. There was no significant difference (x2=2.790; p=0.4251) between the monthly prevalence and the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts Twenty eight other parasites like mite egg 11(2.44), coccidian oocysts 10(2.22), E. histolytica 1(0.22), nematode larva 6(1.33) were also found on the vegetables studied. The use of well (35.6%), bore hole (26.7%) and tap water (37.8%) in rinsing or washing the vegetables could have significantly increased the chances for contamination of these vegetables. This study has
shown that vegetables sold within Abuja markets in Nigeria are contaminated with Cryptosporidium oocysts and this is of public health importance
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR AWARD OF DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY. DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA. MAY, 2014.
Keywords
PREVALENCE,, CRYPTOSPORIDIUM, OOCYSTS,, VEGETABLES,, COLLECTED,, MARKETS,, ABUJA,, NIGERIA.