Assessment of geohelminth contamination of vegetables and fruits sold in Gusau markets Zamfara State Nigeria

Purpose- This research work is aimed to assess parasitological contamination of vegetables and fruits sold in Gusau markets, Zamfara State, Nigeria in March, 2013. Design/Methodology- Fruits and vegetables were purchased from four markets that are randomly selected and evaluated for geohelminth larvae and eggs, using sedimentation and flotation techniques. Findings- Out of 44 helminth eggs/larvae detected in the whole markets, 70.5% were Ascaris lumbricoides, 15.9% Trichuris trichiura, 9.1% hookworm and 4.5% Strongyloides  stercoralis. There were no helminth larvae and eggs that were present in tomatoes and garden eggs in the whole markets. The vegetables and fruits in the markets were to some extent contaminated with either helminth eggs, larvae or both, vegetables were found to be more contaminated than their counterparts (fruits).  Lactuca sativa had the highest contamination. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Practical Implications-It’s recommended that,thorough washing of all vegetables and fruits be done prior to consumption.