The aim of this study was to evaluate the parasitological contamination of vegetables to be consumed raw and commercialized in Niteroi and Rio de Janeiro cities. We studied 128 samples of vegetables3/4lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and watercress (Nasturtium officinale)3/4from supermarkets, greengrocer shops and self-service restaurants. Only 6.2% of the samples were positive for parasitic structures with morphological aspects similar to those of animal parasites. We detected acharids, acharid eggs, insects, nematode larvae and ciliated protozoa in most of the samples (96.1%), including those from restaurants. This high percentage suggests a risk of human infection since parasite structures capable of infecting man may exist in association with these agents.
Intestinal parasite; Vegetables
