In a recent study published in Parasitology Research , researchers used molecular techniques to determine the presence of the food- and waterborne parasite Cryptosporidium parvum in samples of ready-to-eat, pre-washed vegetables collected from various supermarkets in the United Kingdom (U.K.) in the wake of a recent increase in Cryptosporidium cases in the country.
Study: Presence of Cryptosporidium parvum in pre-washed vegetables from different supermarkets in South East England: A pilot study . Image Credit: Khomulo Anna/Shutterstock.com Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa and is the etiological agent of cryptosporidiosis.
The two most common Cryptosporidium species that are responsible for infections in humans and animals are C . hominis and C . parvum .
Infections from these intracellular extra-cytoplasmic parasites have symptoms ranging from abdominal cramps and nausea to even life-threatening conditions and death among immunocompromised individuals and children younger than five years. In infants younger than 12 months, Cryptosporidium is responsible for the second-highest number of diarrhea cases. At the same time, it is also the second most common reason for deaths associated with diarrhea among children between one and two years of age.
In the present study, the researchers assessed samples of pre-washed vegetables obtained from various supermarkets in Kent County, U.K., to determine if they were contaminated with Cryptosporidi.
