scholarly journals Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Toxoplasma gondii detection in fresh vegetables consumed in Marrakech, Morocco

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1669-78
Author(s):  
Salma Berrouch ◽  
Sandie Escotte-Binet ◽  
Yassine Amraouza ◽  
Pierre Flori ◽  
Dominique Aubert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Contaminated Water ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Vegetable Samples ◽  
Fresh Vegetables

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. Keywords: Fresh vegetables; protozoan parasites; Marrakech; qPCR.

scholarly journals Determination of the Occurrence of Toxoplasma Gondii, Giardia Duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in leafy Greens in Marrakech using a Molecular Method

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
salma Berrouch ◽  
Sandie Escotte-Binet ◽  
Atika Madline ◽  
Dominique Aubert ◽  
Eva Nast ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Molecular Method ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
Contaminated Food ◽  
Food Matrices ◽  
Real Time Qpcr

Abstract Background: The association between the parasitic illnesses and the consumption of contaminated food is more and more described. However, there is still a lack of studies investigating the occurrence of parasitic contamination in food matrices. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of T. gondii and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and G. duodenalis cysts, in three leafy greens (coriander, lettuce and parsley) commonly consumed raw.Methods: A total of 152 leafy green samples were collected in Marrakech from April 2018 to October 2019. Parasites were eluted and concentrated before detection of their DNA by real-time qPCR. Results: The analysis revealed an overall rate of contamination of 32.2% (49/152), with 29.6% (45/152) positive for T. gondii, 2.6% (4/152) for G. duodenalis, while Cryptosporidium spp was not detected. Conclusion: The results showed that leafy greens vegetables available in markets of Morocco are subjected to protozoan parasites contaminations. Thus, humans can be exposed to these parasites through vegetables consumption. Further investigations can be performed to acquire new epidemiological data on the health risk of these protozoan diseases in Morocco.

scholarly journals Assessing viability and infectivity of foodborne and waterborne stages (cysts/oocysts) of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Toxoplasma gondii: a review of methods

Parasite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélique Rousseau ◽  
Stéphanie La Carbona ◽  
Aurélien Dumètre ◽  
Lucy J. Robertson ◽  
Gilles Gargala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Analytical Strategy ◽  
Health Organization

Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are protozoan parasites that have been highlighted as emerging foodborne pathogens by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. According to the European Food Safety Authority, 4786 foodborne and waterborne outbreaks were reported in Europe in 2016, of which 0.4% were attributed to parasites including Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Trichinella. Until 2016, no standardized methods were available to detect Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma (oo)cysts in food. Therefore, no regulation exists regarding these biohazards. Nevertheless, considering their low infective dose, ingestion of foodstuffs contaminated by low quantities of these three parasites can lead to human infection. To evaluate the risk of protozoan parasites in food, efforts must be made towards exposure assessment to estimate the contamination along the food chain, from raw products to consumers. This requires determining: (i) the occurrence of infective protozoan (oo)cysts in foods, and (ii) the efficacy of control measures to eliminate this contamination. In order to conduct such assessments, methods for identification of viable (i.e. live) and infective parasites are required. This review describes the methods currently available to evaluate infectivity and viability of G. duodenalis cysts, Cryptosporidium spp. and T. gondii oocysts, and their potential for application in exposure assessment to determine the presence of the infective protozoa and/or to characterize the efficacy of control measures. Advantages and limits of each method are highlighted and an analytical strategy is proposed to assess exposure to these protozoa.

scholarly journals Occurrence of gastrointestinal protozoans in cats from Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Keila Jimenez Torrico ◽  
Nelson Jessé Rodrigues dos Santos ◽  
Hugo Luca Abate ◽  
Felippe Danyel Cardoso Martins ◽  
Luiz Daniel de Barros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Positive Sample ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Specific Pcr ◽  
Identity Match ◽  
Pcr Products ◽  
The City

Protozoans are widely distributed, and several species may parasitize the digestive tracts of cats (Felis catus), and can be transmitted to humans. The present study aimed to evaluate the species and occurrence of gastrointestinal protozoans in cats in the city of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A total of 206 cat fecal samples were tested, of which 141 were from shelter animals, and 65 were from pets owned by local people. Samples were processed by parasitological techniques. Coproparasitological techniques (Willis, Faust and Ziehl-Neelsen) were performed for detection of protozoan parasites. Subsequently, all samples were processed by PCR protocols specific to Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. PCR products from positive samples were selected for sequencing. No samples were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium spp. using the Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Using specific PCR protocols, 1/206 (0.48%) samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium spp. After purification, this one positive sample was sequenced, and it demonstrated a 100% identity match to Cryptosporidium muris. Using specific PCR protocols, 13/206 (9.22%) cat fecal samples tested, including 2/65 (3.08%) pet cat fecal samples, were positive for T. gondii. PCR analysis revealed that 37/206 (17.96%) of cat fecal samples were positive for Giardia spp., including 27/141 (19.15%) of shelter cat fecal samples, and 10/65 (15.38%) pet cat fecal samples (p = 0.5124). When sequenced, these positive samples showed a 100% identity match with Giardia duodenalis. This study demonstrated that infections with Cryptosporidium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Giardia duodenalis are present in the population of both pet cats and shelter cats in the city of Londrina. This poses a risk to public health, because these parasites have a high zoonotic potential.

Toxoplasma gondii and Other Zoonotic Protozoans in Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis): A Food Safety Concern?

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 535-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIZIANA TEDDE ◽  
MARIANNA MARANGI ◽  
ROBERTO PAPINI ◽  
SARA SALZA ◽  
GIOVANNI NORMANNO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Mytilus Galloprovincialis ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Safety Concern ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Retail Outlets ◽  
Mediterranean Mussel ◽  
Foodborne Infection

ABSTRACT Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) are among the most consumed fishery products, but they are frequent vehicles of foodborne infection worldwide. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and seasonality of zoonotic protozoans in mussels farmed or sold at retail outlets in Italy. We collected and tested 1,440 M. galloprovincialis and 180 M. edulis. Pooled samples were molecularly tested for Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Toxoplasma gondii and then sequenced. Sixty-two (45.9%; 95% confidence interval, 37.5 to 54.3%) mussel pools tested positive for one or more of the investigated pathogens. Both Mytilus species and samples from all the investigated areas harbored pathogens. Mussels were statistically more contaminated by Cryptosporidium spp., followed by T. gondii and G. duodenalis assemblage A, and M. galloprovincialis was more contaminated than M. edulis (P < 0.01). Contamination was more likely in mussels at retail outlets (P < 0.05) than in those from farms and in mussels collected in spring (P < 0.01) than in other seasons. This is the first report of T. gondii found in M. galloprovincialis in Italy and in M. edulis in Europe. The detection of zoonotic protozoans in a widely consumed food source indicates the need for a more detailed microbiological risk analysis, especially considering that bivalve mollusks are often consumed raw worldwide.

scholarly journals Detection methods and prevalence of transmission stages of Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in fresh vegetables: a review

Parasitology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 147 (5) ◽  
pp. 516-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma Berrouch ◽  
Sandie Escotte-Binet ◽  
Rajae Harrak ◽  
Antoine Huguenin ◽  
Pierre Flori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Parasitic Infection ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Detection And Identification ◽  
Fresh Vegetables ◽  
Parasite Detection ◽  
Human Health Hazard

AbstractOne of the ways of human parasitic infection is the accidental ingestion of vegetables contaminated with parasites, which represents a major human health hazard. This non-exhaustive review aims to evaluate studies carried out on five types of vegetables (lettuce, parsley, coriander, carrot and radish) since 2000, particularly the methods used for recovery, concentration, detection and identification of protozoan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp., and the results of each work. Various studies have determined the presence of pathogenic parasites in fresh vegetables with different rates; this variation in rate depends particularly on the detection method used which is related to each parasite and each vegetable type. The variation in parasitic prevalence in food could be due to different factors such as the geographical location, the size of analysed samples and the methods used for parasite detection.

scholarly journals Potential Risk of Three Zoonotic Protozoa (Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii) Transmission from Fish Consumption

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1913
Author(s):  
Samantha Moratal ◽  
M. Auxiliadora Dea-Ayuela ◽  
Jesús Cardells ◽  
Naima M. Marco-Hirs ◽  
Silvia Puigcercós ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Fish Consumption ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Natural Hosts ◽  
New Locations

In recent decades, worldwide fish consumption has increased notably worldwide. Despite the health benefits of fish consumption, it also can suppose a risk because of fishborne diseases, including parasitic infections. Global changes are leading to the emergence of parasites in new locations and to the appearance of new sources of transmission. That is the case of the zoonotic protozoa Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii; all of them reach aquatic environments and have been found in shellfish. Similarly, these protozoa can be present in other aquatic animals, such as fish. The present review gives an overview on these three zoonotic protozoa in order to understand their potential presence in fish and to comprehensively revise all the evidences of fish as a new potential source of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Toxoplasma gondii transmission. All of them have been found in both marine and freshwater fishes. Until now, it has not been possible to demonstrate that fish are natural hosts for these protozoa; otherwise, they would merely act as mechanical transporters. Nevertheless, even if fish only accumulate and transport these protozoa, they could be a “new” source of infection for people.

Detection of Cyclospora, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia in Ready-to-Eat Packaged Leafy Greens in Ontario, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRENT DIXON ◽  
LORNA PARRINGTON ◽  
ANGELA COOK ◽  
FRANK POLLARI ◽  
JEFFREY FARBER
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Leafy Greens ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Cryptosporidium Oocysts ◽  
Foodborne Outbreaks ◽  
Parasite Viability ◽  
Assemblage B

Numerous foodborne outbreaks of diarrheal illness associated with the consumption of produce contaminated with protozoan parasites have been reported in North America in recent years. The present study reports on the presence of Cyclospora, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia in precut salads and leafy greens purchased at retail in Ontario, Canada. A total of 544 retail samples were collected between April 2009 and March 2010 and included a variety of salad blends and individual leafy greens. Most of these products were grown in the United States, with some from Canada and Mexico. Parasites were eluted and concentrated before detection by PCR and immunofluorescence microscopy. DNA sequences were aligned with reference sequences in GenBank. Cyclospora spp. were identified by PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism in nine (1.7%) samples and by DNA sequence analysis. Cryptosporidium spp. were identified in 32 (5.9%) samples; 29 were sequenced and aligned with the zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum. Giardia duodenalis was identified in 10 (1.8%) samples, and of the 9 samples successfully sequenced, 7 aligned with G. duodenalis assemblage B and 2 with assemblage A, both of which are also zoonotic. The presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts was confirmed in some of the PCR-positive samples using microscopy, while Cyclospora-like oocysts were observed in most of the Cyclospora PCR-positive samples. The relatively high prevalence of these parasites in packaged salads and leafy greens establishes a baseline for further studies and suggests a need for additional research with respect to the possible sources of contamination of these foods, the determination of parasite viability and virulence, and means to reduce foodborne transmission to humans.

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