Prevalence of Some Human Enteroparasites in Commonly Consumed Raw Vegetables in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

The problem of parasitic contamination of food, especially fresh vegetables, is not limited to personal hygiene during food preparation but is also widely dependent on the source of the food and the handling it undergoes before it gets to the consumer. The objective of the present study was to evaluate parasitic contamination in eight common raw vegetables in Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 400 samples of raw vegetables obtained from wholesale and retail markets were examined for helminth eggs and larvae and for cysts of different parasites, using standard methods. The prevalence of the parasites was 20.65% in cucumber, 15.76% in cabbage, 14.67% in pea, 14.13% in cress, 13.04% in lettuce, 10.33% in carrot, 8.70% in green onion, and 2.72% in tomato. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) for Entamoeba spp. cysts, Ascaris lumbricoides eggs, Entamoeba coli cysts, and unknown isolated parasite cysts. Parasites are common in vegetables that are frequently eaten raw and, for this reason, may pose a health risk for consumers in Tabuk.