ABSTRACT
A study aimed at determining the prevalence of intestinal parasite on some sold vegetable in Tiv market, Otukpo town of Benue State. It was conducted between April to October 2016, intestinal parasite is parasites that can infect the gastrointestintestinal tract of humans and other animals. A total of 100 samples of vegetable were examined by sedimentation concentration after washing with normal saline. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite contamination was 60%. Strongyloides stercoralis (45%) was most frequent intestinal parasite followed by balantidium coli (33%), E. histolytica (17%), Trichuris trichura (3%) and schistosoma mani (2%). Washing of the vegetables before display for selling was significantly associated with decreased contamination of intestinal parasite. Since vegetables are potential sources of transmission for intestinal parasites in the are of my study, consumers should always avoid acquiring intestinal parasite infection from contaminated vegetables supplied in Otukpo town through proper washing and cooking.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Vegetables are essential part of a healthy human diet owing to their nutritional value. Raw vegetables are great source of vitamins, dieting fiber and minerals; and their regular consumption is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. Some vegetables are eaten raw as salad to retain the natural taste and presence heat labile nutrients. Digestion of raw vegetable represented an important mean of transmission of several infections diseases because of their complex surface and porosity, which unfortunately facilitate pathogen attachment and survival.
The consumption of raw vegetables without proper washing is an important route in the transmission of parasitic diseases. There has been an increase in the number of reported cases of food-borne illness linked to fresh vegetables. Several factors may contribute to contamination of crops. They become contaminated while still on the plant in fields, or chards, or during harvesting, transport, processing, distribution and marketing or even at home.
Waste water was increasingly used for irrigation in the 1970s and early 1980s. in many developing countries, use of insufficiently treated waste water to irrigate vegetables has been reported to be responsible for the high rates of contamination with pathogenic parasites. Contamination of soil with animal wastes and increased application of improperly composted manures to soil in which vegetables are grown also play a role in parasites contamination to green vegetables.
Bad hygienic practice during production, transport, processing and preparation by handlers including consumers also contribute in vegetable contaminations.
Other factors which affect this susceptibility of the public to food borne diseases, also play a role in increasing the number of infected cases. Highly susceptible persons because of ageing, malnutrition, HIV infective and other underlying medical conditions are markedly increased. Changes in life style, food consumption patterns, such as the increase in the number of people eating meals prepared in restaurants, canteens and fast food outlets as well as from street food vendors who do not always respect food safety increase the risk of exposure to food borne infections.
In the past, the risk of human infection with parasites was considered to be limited to district geographic regions because of parasites adaptations to specific definitive hosts, selective intermediate hosts and particular environmental conditions. These barriers are slowly being breached. First by international travel developing into a major industry, and second, by rapid, refrigerated food transport which became available to an unprecedented degree at the end of the 20th century. Taking into account that a proportion of the vegetables cultivated in these developing countries are exported to developed once, the risk of spreading these contaminations to other countries cannot be over looked. The consumption of vegetables helps in protecting human body from a number of diseases by providing nutrients, vitamins, minerals, protein and fibers. It could also have a positive impact on body-weight regulation and related conditions, including diabetes and hypertension. However, vegetable especially, those that are consumed raw and or not properly washed have been the major way for the transmission of human pathogens.
Intestinal parasitic infections are widely distributed throughout the world causing substantial intimidation to the public health economy, and physical and cognitive development particularly among children in developing countries like Ethiopia. The poor personal hygiene, poor environmental hygiene, and poor health system commonly deserved in developing countries make the prevalence to be highest among these populations.
Intestinal parasites are among the main public health problems around the world especially in tropical and subtropical countries. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases of food borne illness to consumption of fresh vegetables. The consumption of raw vegetables plays a major epidemiological role in the transmission of parasitic food borne diseases. Intestinal parasites such as cryptosporidium SSP, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lubricoides, hookworms, Enterobius vermicularis, Trichurics trichiura, Toxocara SPP., Hymenolepi’s SPP., Taenia SPP., fasciola SPP., and members of the family strongloides stercoralis could infect humans as a result of consumption of contaminated, uncooked, or improperly washed vegetables.
Outbreaks of human infections associated with consumption of raw vegetables and fruits have occurred with increase frequently during the past decade. Factors contributing to this increase may include changes in agronomic and processing practice, an increase in per capital consumption of raw or minimally processed vegetables, increased international trade and distribution, and an increase in the number of immunocompromised consumers. A general lack of efficacy of sanitizers in removing or killing pathogens on vegetables has been attributed, in part, to their inaccessibility to locations within structures and tissues that may harbor pathogens.
Different parasitic stages can contaminate vegetables. The most likely hypothesis of contamination is that it occurred before harvest while still on the plants in fields, either by contaminated manure, sewage, irrigation water, and waste water from live stock operations or directly from wild and domestic animals.
Practical and reliable detection methods for monitoring food suffs will aid the prevention of parasitic disease out breaks associated with contaminated food.
AIM OF STUDY
The aim of study is to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasite on some sold vegetable in Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State.
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
To determine the type of intestinal parasite that is more prevalence in vegetable.
To identify the complication of the infection.
To access how the infection is been transmitted.
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
DEFINITION ON INTESTINAL PARASITE
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine 2007; 38:131-134 Defined Intestinal Parasite as parasites that can infect the gastrointestintestinal tract of humans and other animal. They can live throughout the body, but most prefer the intestinal wall. Means of exposure include: ingestion of under cooked meat, consuming raw vegetables and fruits, drinking infected water, and skin absorption. An intestinal parasite can damage or sicken its host via an infection which is called helminthiasis in the case of helminthes.
Medicine net.com: A med terms medical dictionary defined intestinal parasite as a parasite (an organism that live in and takes its nourishment from another organism) in the intestinal tract. Intestinal parasites include both helminthes and protozoa. Helminthes are worms such as tape worm, pin warms, and round worms. All of these worm can live, but typically not reproduce inside the human intestine. In contrast to worms, which are composed of many cells. Protozoa are single celled organisms that multiply inside the body.
Example of protozoa that can live in the intestinal tract are Giardia and cryptosporidium.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclo pedaling Chicago, 1969, volume 23: vegetables in its broadest sence, refers to any kind of plant life or plant products. It is also commonly referred to as the fresh edible portion of a herbaceous plants, roots, stenis, leaves or fruits. This plant are either eaten fresh or prepared in a number of ways.
According to Okorokwo MO. Intestinal parasites associated with human and animal waste stabilization in Nigeria; the climate, vegetation and topography of Benue State are suitable for the cultivation of these vegetables. They are grown throughout the year in Benue State, using rain during wet season and irrigation during dry season. Irrigation water is derived from two sources, rivers and mine ponds. These two sources are usually highly polluted with human and animal feces. It is a known fact that the excreta polluted irrigation water is a health risk to the farmer and consumers of crops so produced. Raw waste water frequently contains high numbers of eggs of human intestinal nematodes.
In out breaks of human infection Associated with consumption of raw vegetables and fruits have occurred with increase frequency during the past decade. Factors contributing to this increase may include changes in a gronomic and processing practices, an increase in per capital consumption of raw or minimally processed vegetables, increased international trade and distribution, and increase in the number of immunocompromised consumers.
2.1 EPIDEMOLOGY
Intestinal parasite that infect gastrointestinal tract of humans can be acquired in many ways. Some parasites can live in the soil for extended periods. They may penetrate the body through the skin if contaminated soil is ingested accidentally. Other parasites live in animals, such as pigs and cows.
People can become infested with these by eating uncooked meat or drinking unpasteurized milk (milk that has not been processed with heat to kill parasites and bacteria).
The eggs of some intestinal parasites pass through an infested person’s gastrointestinal tract and into feces. The parasite then can spread to other people through unintentional contact with the feces. Depending on the type of parasite, a person may become infested by touching his/her mouth after contact with feces that contain the organism (when or doing laundry, for example) or a contaminated food (such as unwashed raw vegetable or fruits, which can carry parasite from soil or from people who have handled them) or drinks water that is contaminated by feces.
Swimming in contaminated water also may result in infestation by certain parasites.
In Canada a higher number of the infection are seen in late summer mount and even few death have been reported. On this note, travelers to regions of African, Assia out Latin America where clean water supply are low, are at increased risk of contacting the infection.
Also it was estimated that one percent and twenty percent of the united state population has intestinal parasites and this figure may be 20% or higher in developing countries e.g Nigeria where intestinal parasites could be a major causes of epidemic mostly in children due to poor personal hygiene on their part. Base on the signs and symptoms as well as its mode of transmission, this infection could be more prevalence.
2.3 CAUSES OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Contaminated waste
Contaminated and unwashed vegetables and fruit
Raw or uncooked contaminated meat
Walking barefoot or handling contaminated soil
Working with natural fertilizers such as human and animal manure
Lack of food personal hygiene (hand washing) and sanitation (defecating outside).
Once a person acquires an intestinal parasite and remains untreated, it is only a matter of time until he/she infects other members of the house hold, co-workers and so on seeing that transmission can occur fairly easily, prevention remains crucial in reducing both infection and re-infection rates.
2.4 CLASSIFICATION OF INTESTINAL PARASITE PROTOZOA
INTESTINAL Amoebea - Entamoeba histolytica
INTESTINAL Flagellate - Giardia lamblia (intestinalis)
INTESTINAL Cilliates - Balantidium col:
INTESTINAL Coccidia -
(i) Cryptosporidium
(ii) Isospora bell
HELMINTHES
INTESTINAL Trematode -
(i) opisthorchis sineusis
(ii) metagonimus yokogawai
(iii) Heterophyes heterophyses
(iv) fasciolopsis buski
(v) Fasciola hepatica
INTESTINAL Cestode -
(i) Taenia saginata
(ii) Taenia solium
(iii) Hymenlepis nana
(iv) Diphyllobothrium latum
INTESTINAL Nematode -
(i) Ascaris lumbricoides
(ii) Enterobius vermicularis
(iii) strongyloides stercoralis
(iv) Trichuris Trichiura
2.5 EFFECT OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Intestinal parasites which are causative agent of parasitic infection live in the intestine of human and as such affect human by imposing disease as earlier mentioned and as such causes a lot of havoc to man as a whole, it causes malnutrition, diarrhea which can lead to loss of fluid from the body.
When intestinal parasite disease is left untreated it can lead to death as it prevent the re-absorption of essential nutrient from the body and in turn lead to loose of materials which are needed by humans for his survival.
2.6 RISK FACTOR OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Almost about 90% of Nigerian population are in high risk of intestinal parasite infection this is because the sources of its infection are too many of which man use them as their own sources of food and water supply. Sources like streams either natural or artificial, well, ponds and even pipe water supply reason been that the organism can survive the conventional method of water treatment, infact not all Nigerians practice personal hygiene and as such faeca oral route is another problem intestinal parasite cause significant morbidity and motality throughout the world, particularly in developing countries and in persons with comorbidities contaminated fruits when not washed properly can cause infection. All vegetable which are fertilized by human feces when not cooked can also cause this infection.
2.7 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
The following are the signs and symptoms of intestinal parasites infectious usually the symptom begins from 7-14 days of exposure to the parasite. Although symptoms may appear as early as 3 days as late as 25 days. They frequently include:
Severe watery diarrhoeal with or without mucus and blood, this is because the infection have ability to prevent body from absorbing fat from the diet on the diarrhea contained unabsorbed fats. That means the diarrhea contained unabsorbed fats. That means the diarrhea floats, shiny and smell very bad.
Abdominal pain or tenderness
Itching and rashes in the groin area
Passing worms in stools
Tiredness/fatique,
Visible weight loss,
Increased appetite,
Gas, bloating, nausea and vomiting
2.8 COMPLICATIONS OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
When intestinal parasite infection is left untreated, it can lead to death due to the fact that dehydration is the most common general complication of intestinal parasite infections.
Infant and young children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration and nutrition problems when they become infected. In people with weak immune systems (such as people undergoing chemotherapy), infants, and the elderly, these infections can be fatal.
Some infections cause specific complication, amebiasis can affect the liver, lungs and brain, parasite migrating through, they may cause difficulty breatings, and hookworm infestation cause anemia and cause malnutrition, which can affect growth and development in children.
2.9 MODE OF TRANSMISSION OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Intestinal parasite infection can occur through ingestion of microbial cyst, trophzoite, eggs and larva in contaminated water, vegetable, food, or by faecal oval route through poor hygiene practice the cyst can survive for weeks to months in cold water, and so can be present in contaminated wells and water systems, especially stagnant water.
Source such as naturally occurring ponds, storm water storage systems, and even clean-looking mountains stream. They may also occur in city reservoirs and persist after water treatment, as the cyst are resistant to conventional water treatment methods such as chlorination and ozoonolysis. When the cyst are swallowed, it then reproduce in the intestinal (duodenum) where it causes illness, ingestion of as little as 10 (ten) cysts is enough to cause illness.
2.10 MANAGEMENT OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Intestinal parasite infection in human is frequently mismanaged, accurate management and diagnosis require an antigen test or if unavailable, an oval of the parasite via stool examination or required, multiple stool examination is required (mucus and bloody part of the stool are highly sensitive. Medication use to treat intestinal parasite is called antihelmintic medication. It includes):
Benzimidazoles (mebeudazole, albendazole, feubendazole) iverectin, praziquental and so on.
The most effect is mebendazole therapy, often prescribed in or smaller dose taken over a period of three days, twice (2) a day, with a last dose recommended 10-14 days after the completion of the first treatment to kill remaining eggs.
The most effective is mebendazole therapy, often prescribed in one dose or smaller doses taken over a period of three (3) days, twice (2) a day, with a last dose recommended 10-14 days after the completion of the first treatment to kill remaining eggs.
2.12 PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF INTESTINAL PARASITES
Practice good hygiene: The most important thing you can do to prevent a great number of diseases, including intestinal parasite infection is to (wash your hand) thoroughly before you eat as well as before and after you use the toilet. Changing your bed limens and underwear regularly and washing them at high temperature can help destroy excreted eggs and prevent infection of other people as well as reinfestation.
Washing your food and cook it well: Wash vegetables and fruits well before eating them and avoid consuming undercooked meat such as pork, beef or fish. Also, you may want to avoid foods fertilized with untreated human manure.
Drink clean water: Whether you have a certified clean water source, drink bottled water (which is best), filter or even boil and cool your drinking water, it is important to keep to your practice to avoid consuming contaminated water.
Disinfect your shoes and house regularly: If you went for a walk in the park, leave your shoes at the door and change into a clean pair you use only inside the house. Disinfect your outsoles with diluted chlorine and do the same with the floors once in a while.
Avoid playing with unwormed animals: Stray cats and dog and even household pets that have not been dewormed are very likely to carry one or more intestinal parasite that can infect humans being and adult, you will most likely wash your hands well after peting an unwormed animal, but children might put their hands into their mouth soon after touching the feces, far or tail of a stray animal which might lead to the transmission of a potentially dangerous parasites.
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This type of study was across sectional analytical study involving some sold vegetables in Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State.
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
Experimental design was used to obtain information for this study. The study was designed to look into the prevalence of intestinal parasites on some sold vegetable in Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State.
3.2 AREA OF THE STUDY
The area of my study was restricted to Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State.
3.3 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
Two types of green vegetables were selected in this study (fluted pumpkin leaf (ugu) and African spinach/callalo (green amaranth)). A total of 50 representative of each type of the vegetable mentioned above were purchased at the smallest retail size available i.e a total of 100 samples were purchased at random. The vegetable samples were transported to the laboratory with plastic bag. The vegetable sample was washed but not thoroughly and the water was allowed to stand for 7-8 minutes, it was added into a clean centrifuge tube and centrifuged for 2000rpm for 15 minutes. The sample was analyzed in Dr. John Adah College of Health Technology (JACHT) Teaching laboratory.
3.4 MATERIALS USED FOR THE STUDY
The materials include:
Universal container
Centrifuge tubes
Filter funnel
Glass slide
Cover slip
Cotton wool
Normal saline
Lugol’s iodine
Centrifuge
Microscope
3.5 PROCEDURE FOR SAMPLE PREPARATION
The samples were transported to the laboratory in plastic bag. According to the traditional procedure which is generally used for washing vegetables, they were immersed immediately in tap water inside a sterile plastic bucket and left approximately 7-8 minutes for sedimentation of mud and dust. Then, it was gently collected and was put in a plastic basket. Each vegetable sample was eluted by vigorous agitation of each specimen for 30 minutes in normal saline (PH 7.4). The elvent was filter through gauze and then dispense into clean centrifuge tubes and centrifuged at 2000rpm for 15 minutes the supernatant was discarded into disinfectant Jar.
3.6 METHOD(S) OF MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION
Sediment(wet mount preparation)
On to a clean, grease, free slide
A drop of the sediment was placed on the centre of the slid
A clean cover slip was placed gently to avoid air bubbles and over flooding
The preparation was examined under a light microscope using x10 and x40 objective lense.
Lugol’s iodine (wet mount preparation)
A drop of lugol’s iodine solution was placed on the centre of a clean, grease, free slide.
A drop of the sediment was added to the lugol’s iodine
It was mixed with the aid of sterile wire loop
It was covered gently with a clean cover slip to avoid over flooding and air bubbles.
The preparation was examined under a light microscope using x10 and x40 objective lense.
Simple and iodine smears were used for detection of parasitic cysts, eggs and larva. The process was systematically repeated until the mixture in each test-tube was exhausted.
Eggs, cysts and oocysts of parasite found under the light microscope were identified as described by owners.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
In this research work, 100 vegetable sample were bought from Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State. Two types of vegetable were bought (fluted pumpkin leaf and African spinach). (50) samples of fluted pumpkin leaf were bought and (50) sample of African spinach were bought also. After the analysis (60) samples were positive while (40) samples were tested negative. In respect to different types of vegetable, (35) samples among the (50) samples from fluted pumpkin leaf were positive and (15) were negative, while (25) samples among the (50) samples from Arican spinach were positive and (25) negative.
The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite contermination was 60%. Strongyloides stercoralis (45%) was the most frequent intestinal parasite followed by Balantidium coli (33%), E. histolytica (17%), Trichuris trichura (3%) and schitosoma masoni (2%) the tables below shows the result of the analysis.
4.1 Table 1: showing the type of vegetable and the total number bought.
Type of vegetable
Total numbers bought in small retail size
Fluted pumpkin leaf
50
African spinach
50
Total number of vegetable
100
4.2 Table 2: showing the infectivity rate of intestinal parasite
Types of vegetable
No positive
% positive
No negative
% Negative
Fluted pumpkin leaf
35
58%
15
38%
African spinach
25
42%
25
62%
Total
60
100
40
100
4.3 Table 3: showing the prevalence of various intestinal parasite in the infected vegetables
Parasite
Frequency
Percentage
Strongyloides stercoralis
27
45%
Balantidium coli
20
33%
Entermoeba histolytica
10
17%
Trichuris trichura
2
3%
Schistosoma masoni
1
2%
Total
60
100
Other parasites that is found on the process of searching for intestinal parasite are: Schistosoma heamatobium and other plant and animal parasites such as: T. Orientalis (Embryonated) egg and Paragonimus westermani lung fluke.
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
5.1 DISCUSSION OF FINDING
This research intended to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasite on some sold vegetable in Tiv market Otukpo town of Benue State, 100 vegetable samples were bought in smallest retail size randomly from the Tiv market.
At the course of the study, it was discovered that there was a high prevalence of intestinal parasite contamination on the vegetable samples analyzed. The analysis showed that 60 samples were positive while 40 samples were tested negative in respect to difference types of vegetables, 35 samples among the 50 samples from fluted pumpkin leaf were positive and 15 were negative while 25 samples among the 50 samples from Africa spinach were positive and 25 negative. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite contamination was 60%. Strongyloides stercoralis was (45%) which is the most frequent intestinal parasite followed by balantidium coli with (33%), E. histolytical (17%), Trichuris trichura (3%) and schistosoma masoni (2%).
In this study, larvae of strongyloides were the most frequently detected intestinal parasite with a prevalence of (45%). This might be due to the fact that the parasite has a free living state and does not require a host for its proliferation, in addition to its parasitic mode of life.
5.2 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of raw vegetables as the potential sources of transmission for intestinal parasite to humans. The vegetables contaminated with the pathogenic parasites poses health risk to the consumers if consumed without proper washing and cooking.
5.3 RECOMMENDATION
In recommendation, prevention of contamination remains the most effective way of reducing food borne parasitic infection. A comprehensive health education should be given to vendors and farmers of vegetables and to the general population on the health risks associated with consumption of contaminated vegetables. The consumers should always observe the basic principle of food and personal hygiene, that is, through washing of the vegetable before eating and washing hands before meal.
The vendors of vegetables should avoid the contact of the produces with soil while display for selling. Further studies should be conducted on the viability of intestinal parasite contaminants of vegetables. Also, other researches must be done to evaluate the level of intestinal parasite contamination of other farm produces, water bodies and soil in which vegetables are cultivated. These studies should also be conducted in different regions of the country.
