Prevalência de Enteroparasitos em alfaces (lactuca sativa) comercializadas em feiras e supermercados brasileiros

Abstract

Introduction: Parasites are increasingly adapting to the present day to ensure their survival. According to data from the World Health Organization, the distribution of these parasites is almost worldwide, infecting millions of people annually. There are many parasite species that can cause some pathology in humans and in Brazil factors such as temperature and humidity make their distribution even greater. The lack of basic sanitation is another factor that contributes to the large-scale dissemination among the Brazilian population. Symptoms vary by parasite. Nowadays the search for healthier foods is increasing and, with this, the consumption of vegetables has become more frequent by the population, being the most consumed in natura, dispensing the previous cooking of the food, thus increasing the risks of contamination. by parasites. Objectives: To demonstrate the prevalence of lettuce enteroparasites marketed in fairs and supermarkets, targeting the most commonly found parasites. Methodology: A bibliographic survey was conducted in the following databases: LILACS, Pubmed, SciELO, articles from 1995 to 2019 were selected, after a critical reading, 50 articles were selected, which indicated the regions and states that had the highest number of articles. publications, higher rates of parasites found. Results: The southeast region has the largest publications on contaminated lettuce, the states that presented the most research were Mato Grosso (6) Pernambuco (6), and supermarkets were the places where most of the researches accounted for 42%. The cyst of Entamoeba sp. It was the most prevalent parasite in the research being found in 45 of the 50 articles searched. Discussion: There are several species of parasites that can cause some pathology to humans, some being more pathogenic or prevalent than others, measures for greater lettuce hygiene should be taken in order to ensure a higher quality of food and this vegetable is a potent. carrier of various parasitic structures (cysts, eggs, larvae). Conclusion: Lettuce is a vegetable that is marketed in various regions of Brazil, where its production comes from small farmers and can be easily purchased at fairs and supermarkets. But the lack of supervision is a major problem to be faced, because the food still has low quality levels, so greater supervision is necessary so that the food can reach the final consumer free of parasitic contamination.