Abstract:
Background: Vegetables and fruits are essential for a healthy human body and they form a major
component of the human diet. Consuming fresh vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of chronic diseases.
However, human infection with medically important parasitic helminthes, protozoa, and bacteria due to
consumption contaminated raw vegetables and fruits coupled with lack of sanitation and hygiene have
been a major concern in developing countries including Ethiopia.
Objective: The study was to assess intestinal parasitic and bacterial contamination of fruits and
vegetables, sold in open aired markets and assess KAP of Sellers and associated factors in peri-urban
Kebeles of Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia.
Method: A community based cross--sectional study was conducted in three peri-urban Kebeles of Jimma
town, Southwest Ethiopia. Three hundred seventy-five fruits and vegetables were purchased from 375
sellers by one to one ratio and simple random sampling technique was used to select sellers and fruits
and Vegetables. Data were collected by questionnaire. For parasitic identification, the sediment was
examined under a light microscope and modified Zeihl-Neelsen staining technique while bacterial
contamination was identified by growing in the MacConkey agar, Mannitol salt agar and Salmonella-
shigela agar culture media. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25.
Logistic regressions were performed to determine the association with a confidence interval of 95%, p-
value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: A total of 375 fruits (n=188) and vegetables (n=187) were collected from three site peri urban
kebeles of Jimma town. Of the total fruits and vegetables, 173 (46.1%) and 194 (51.7%) samples were
found contaminated with at least one type of parasite and bacterium, respectively. The most frequently
encountered parasitic egg/cyst was A. lumbricoides 46(12.3%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis
32(8.5). Nine (9) species of bacteria were detected; S. aureus being the commonest bacterial contaminant
of fruits and vegetables (77, 20.5%) followed by salmonella species (66, 17.8%). AST was performed for
isolated bacteria specious and Ciprofloxacin was the most effective drug (79.9%) followed by Cefazoline
(77.7%), cotrimoxazole (74.58%), ceftriaxone (66.4%), and Gentamicin (61.15%). But Highest resistance
was observed in penicillin (84.4%) followed by ampicillin (81.4%).
Conclusions and Recommendations: Parasitic and Bacterial contaminations were high in fruits and
vegetables sold at markets of peri-urban kebeles of Jimma Town. Local and regional government should
regulate vendors handling practices and regular on market screening should be done. Moreover,
attentionn should be given on rational use of drugs to prevent microbial resistance
