CONTAMINAÇÃO DE HORTALIÇAS POR ENTEROPARASITAS E SALMONELLA SPP. EM PRESIDENTE PRUDENTE, SÃO PAULO, BRASIL

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of contamination of vegetables by infective forms of helminths and protozoa commercialized in the municipality of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Samples of two varieties of lettuce and one of watercress, parsley, chives, and packets of parsley and chives were collected from 96 out of 121 commercial establishments registered in the municipality. Samples were washed with Extran MA 02 0.5% and the resulting fluid subjected to techniques of Baermann, Hoffmann and Faust, in order to recovery parasite. Bacterial culture for Salmonella spp. was performed following the steps of pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, plating and differential biochemical classification. It was observed that 33.06% of the samples were contaminated by parasitic structures. The highest contaminations were present in watercress (69.2%) and parsley (47.6%), while the lowest occurred in chives (20.7%) and lettuce (20.0%). The eggs of trichostrongylidae type were most often found in the samples. Giardia duodenalis cysts were recovered in 9.1% of the samples. Regarding the presence of Salmonella spp., only one strain was isolated in a sample of watercress (1.04%). It was conclude that there is a need for a health education campaign for farmers and vegetables merchants as well as for consumers, based on hygienic techniques, in order to reduce the risks of infection by infectious and parasitic agents during the ingestion of these foods