Background: Protozoan parasites such as
Toxoplasma gondii,
Giardia duodenalis, and
Cryptosporidium spp., can be transmitted to
humans via accidental consumption of contaminated water, fresh produce and foodstuffs. There is a lack of epidemiological
data about these pathogens in Morocco. Hence the aim of this study, which is the determination of their prevalence in some
leafy greens and root vegetables sold in Marrakech.
Methods: A total of 132 vegetable samples including carrot, coriander, lettuce, parsley and radish were purchased monthly
from three different markets in Marrakech from March 2017 to January 2018, pre-treated and subjected to microscopic and
molecular analyses.
Results: Of the 132 samples of vegetables analyzed by qPCR, the overall rate of protozoan was 21.21% (28/132); 22 samples
were found to be contaminated with
T. gondii, 6 with
G. duodenalis, and none was positive for
C. parvum
/
hominis
. Whereas,
modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining allowed the detection of
Cryptosporidium spp. in 3% (4/132) of examined samples.
Conclusion: This survey on the presence of protozoan parasites in fresh vegetables revealed that vegetables sold in Marrakech
are contaminated by these protozoan parasites, as it showed that leafy green vegetables were more susceptible for
parasitic contamination than root ones.
