Contamination of Raw Herbs with Parasitic Protozoa and Helminths in Shushtar City, Southwestern Iran

Introduction: Intestinal parasites are among the most prevalent foodborne diseases worldwide, and raw vegetables and herbs are among the primary sources of human infection by these parasites. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic contamination of fresh herbs in Shushtar, Khuzestan Province, Southwest of Iran. Methods: In this study, 129 herb samples from various farms were collected and washed with water. The washing waters were centrifuged, and the resulting sediments were examined by formol-ether concentration and Sheather s sugar flotation procedure, as well as a wet smear and Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Results: Among the 129 samples, 73.6% (n=95) showed contamination with at least one parasite, including trophozoite like amoebae (52.6%), followed by Giardia lamblia (14.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (2.1%), Blastocystis sp. (21%), free-living nematodes larvae (3.1%), Trichostrongilid nematodes (1.05%), Ascaris lumericoids eggs (2.1%), Hymenolepis spp. (2.1%) and Taeniid eggs (1.05%). Conclusion: A high prevalence rate of parasitic contaminations of herbs in Shushtar necessitates proper washing of herbs and vegetables by consumers to prevent parasitic infections.