Parasitic contamination in raw vegetables from street markets in Chonburi Province, Eastern Thailand

Abstract

Fresh vegetables, which are consumed raw, act as potential sources for the spread of various food-borne pathogens, including parasites. In this study, we aimed to detect parasitic contamination in fresh vegetables from the fresh markets in Chonburi Province, Eastern Thailand. A total of 100 fresh vegetable samples were purchased from street markets. Microscopic methods (simple smear and modified acid-fast staining) were used to identify parasitic contamination in fresh vegetables together with conventional and nested PCR assays followed by DNA sequencing to confirm parasitic species. Microscopy identified parasitic contamination in 4 % (4/100) of samples. Molecular analysis further detected Giardia duodenalis zoonotic assemblage B (2.0 %), Cryptosporidium parvum (2.0 %), and Angiostrongylus spp. (3.0 %). Contamination was found in Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), kitchen mint (Mentha cordifolia), and rice paddy herb (Limnophila aromatica). These findings using both conventional and molecular techniques highlight the presence of zoonotic and food-borne parasitic species in fresh vegetables from street markets in Chonburi Province, Thailand. This study emphasizes the need for enhanced public awareness and improved hygiene practices in the handling and consumption of raw vegetables.