مؤسسة الشرق الأوسط للنشر العلمي
عادةً ما يتم الرد في غضون خمس دقائق
This study quantified the parasitic burden, seasonal variation, and species distribution in fresh leafy vegetables sold in Al-Zawiya, Libya, to assess food safety risks. A total of 144 market samples (Lettuce, Arugula, Parsley) were analyzed across Winter, Spring, and Summer. The overall parasitic contamination prevalence was 18.1% (n=26). Lettuce exhibited the highest contamination rate (36.1%, n=13/36), followed by Arugula (17.2%, n=11/64), and Parsley (4.5%, n=2/44). Contamination was significantly influenced by climate, peaking dramatically in Spring (all six species detected) and dropping to 0.0% in Winter. The dominant contaminants were the indicator parasite cyst of ` (53.8% of positive samples) and the pathogenic cyst of Entamoeba histolytica (19.2%). Lettuce was uniquely contaminated with helminths (Trichuris trichiura egg and Strongyloides stercoralis larva). These findings confirm that raw leafy vegetables in Al-Zawiya act as critical vehicles for foodborne parasitic diseases, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced water sanitation and agricultural best practices in the coastal region of Libya.