Table 4.
Contamination of vegetables and fruits with Entamoeba spp.
| Location | Detection method | Vegetable or fruit item | Number of samples tested | Number of positive samples (%) | Entamoeba species identified (n) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | Wet mount | Vegetables | 200 | 17 (8.5) | Entamoeba histolytica | [52] |
| Brazil | Direct smear, followed by light microscopy | Lettuce | 30 | 3 (10.0) | Entamoeba coli (3) | [85] |
| Brazil | Lugol’s iodine stain | Loose leaf lettucea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | [30] |
| Red lettucea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Curly lettucea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Iceberg lettucea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Parsleya | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Chivea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Coriandera | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Basila | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Arugulaa | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Chicorya | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Kalea | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Bean sproutsa | 1 | 1 | Entamoeba sp. | |||
| Brazil | Sediment smear, followed by light microscopy | Vegetables | 100 | 32 (32.0) | Entamoeba spp. (32) | [86] |
| Brazil | Sediment being stained in Lugolʼs solution | Lettuce | 100 | 9 (9.0) | Entamoeba histolytica (9) | [15] |
| Lettuce | 100 | 4 (4.0) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Coriander | 100 | 11 (11.0) | Entamoeba histolytica (11) | |||
| Coriander | 100 | 4 (4.0) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Cameroon | Lugol’s iodine stain | Green cabbage | 30 | 5 (16.7) | Entamoeba spp. (5) | [66] |
| Red cabbage | 30 | 3 (10.0) | Entamoeba spp. (3) | |||
| Lettuce | 30 | 9 (30.0) | Entamoeba spp. (9) | |||
| Cucumber | 30 | 5 (16.7) | Entamoeba spp. (5) | |||
| Carrots | 30 | 3 (10.0) | Entamoeba spp. (3) | |||
| Green pepper | 30 | 5 (16.7) | Entamoeba spp. (5) | |||
| Costa Rica | Direct smear, followed by light microscopy | Cilantro leaves | 80 | 5 (6.2) | Entamoeba histolytica (5) | [79] |
| Cilantro roots | 80 | 2 (2.5) | Entamoeba histolytica (2) | |||
| Lettuce | 80 | 3 (3.8) | Entamoeba histolytica (3) | |||
| Radish | 80 | 2 (2.5) | Entamoeba histolytica (2) | |||
| Egypt | Lugol’s iodine stain | Lettuce | 101 | 14 (13.9) | Entamoeba spp. (14) | [18] |
| Watercress | 116 | 9 (7.8) | Entamoeba spp. (9) | |||
| Parsley | 102 | 8 (7.8) | Entamoeba spp. (8) | |||
| Green onion | 103 | 2 (1.9) | Entamoeba spp. (2) | |||
| Leek | 108 | 3 (2.8) | Entamoeba spp. (3) | |||
| Ethiopia | Lugol’s iodine stain | Fruits and vegetables | 360 | 19 (5.3) | Entamoeba histolytica/E.dispar (19) | [19] |
| Ethiopia | Sediment smear | Fruits and vegetables | 360 | 52 (14.4) | E. histolytica/dispar (52) | [32] |
| Ethiopia | Lugol’s iodine stain | Tomato | 100 | 22 (22.0) | E. histolytica (22) | [14] |
| Cabbage | 96 | 0 | ||||
| Green pepper | 66 | 0 | ||||
| Carrot | 62 | 7 (11.3) | E. histolytica (7) | |||
| Salad | 23 | 0 | ||||
| Ethiopia | Sediment smear under light microscope | Tomatoes | 45 | 1 (2.2) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (1) | [43] |
| Lettuce | 45 | 4 (8.8) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (4) | |||
| Carrot | 45 | 6 (13.3) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (6) | |||
| Cabbage | 45 | 7 (15.6) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (7) | |||
| Green pepper | 45 | 5 (11.1) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (5) | |||
| Avocado | 45 | 5 (11.1) | E. histolytica/E. dispar (5) | |||
| Ghana | Lugol’s iodine stain | Cabbage | 90 | 5 (5.6) | Entamoeba coli (5) | [12] |
| Green pepper | 55 | 4 (7.3) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Onion | 70 | 2 (2.9) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Tomato | 31 | 2 (6.5) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Lettuce | 102 | 4 (3.9) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Ghana | Lugol’s iodine stain | Cabbage | 90 | 11 (12.2) | Entamoeba histolytica (11) | |
| Carrot | 47 | 4 (8.5) | Entamoeba histolytica (4) | |||
| Onion | 70 | 2 (2.9) | Entamoeba histolytica (2) | |||
| Tomato | 31 | 4 (12.9) | Entamoeba histolytica (4) | |||
| Lettuce | 102 | 6 (5.9) | Entamoeba histolytica (6) | |||
| Iran | Lugol’s iodine stain | Vegetables | 141 | 18 (12.8) | Entamoeba coli (18) | [84] |
| Iran | Sediment smear under light microscopy | Leek | 30 | 0 | [42] | |
| Spring onion | 22 | 2 (9.1) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Basil | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Parsley | 21 | 0 | ||||
| Lettuce | 23 | 0 | ||||
| Cress | 17 | 1 (5.9) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Spearmint | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Tarragon | 19 | 1 (5.3) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Coriander | 24 | 2 (8.3) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Radish | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Iran | Sediment smear under light microscopy | Leek | 30 | 2 (6.7) | Entamoeba histolytica (2) | [42] |
| Spring onion | 22 | 0 | ||||
| Basil | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Parsley | 21 | 0 | ||||
| Lettuce | 23 | 0 | ||||
| Cress | 17 | 0 | ||||
| Spearmint | 18 | 1 (5.6) | Entamoeba histolytica (1) | |||
| Tarragon | 19 | 0 | ||||
| Coriander | 24 | 0 | ||||
| Radish | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Iran | Lugol’s iodine stain | Vegetables | 34 | 1 (2.9) | Entamoeba coli (1) | [72] |
| Jordan | Lugol’s iodine stain | Lettuce | 30 | 3 (10.0) | Entamoeba histolytica (3) | [20] |
| Tomato | 33 | 2 (6.1) | Entamoeba histolytica (2) | |||
| Parsley | 42 | 0 | ||||
| Cucumber | 28 | 0 | ||||
| Saudi Arabia | Lugol’s iodine stain | Green onion | 50 | 6 (12.0) | Entamoeba spp. (6) | [17] |
| Watercress | 50 | 8 (16.0) | Entamoeba spp. (8) | |||
| Lettuce | 50 | 6 (12.0) | Entamoeba spp. (6) | |||
| Cucumber | 50 | 7 (14.0) | Entamoeba spp. (7) | |||
| Cabbage | 50 | 6 (12.0) | Entamoeba spp. (6) | |||
| Pea | 50 | 5 (10.0) | Entamoeba spp. (5) | |||
| Tomato | 50 | 0 | ||||
| Carrot | 50 | 6 (12.0) | Entamoeba spp. (6) | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Lugol’s iodine stain | Green onion | 50 | 3 (6.0) | Entamoeba coli (3) | |
| Watercress | 50 | 4 (8.0) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Lettuce | 50 | 2 (4.0) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Cucumber | 50 | 2 (4.0) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Cabbage | 50 | 4 (8.0) | Entamoeba coli (4) | |||
| Pea | 50 | 3 (6.0) | Entamoeba coli (3) | |||
| Tomato | 50 | 2 (4.0) | Entamoeba coli (2) | |||
| Carrot | 50 | 3 (6.0) | Entamoeba coli (3) | |||
| Sudan | Lugol’s iodine stain | Tomatoes | 36 | 1 (2.8) | Entamoeba coli (1) | [29] |
| Cucumber | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Armenian cucumber | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Green pepper | 25 | 0 | ||||
| Cayenne pepper | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Radish | 24 | 1 (4.2) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Beet | 19 | 1 (5.3) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Watercress | 23 | 1 (4.3) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Lettuce | 11 | 1 (9.1) | Entamoeba coli (1) | |||
| Green onion | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Carrot | 50 | 0 | ||||
| Sudan | Lugol’s iodine stain | Tomatoes | 36 | 1 (2.8) | Entamoeba spp. (1) | [29] |
| Cucumber | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Armenian cucumber | 16 | 2 (12.5) | Entamoeba spp. (2) | |||
| Green pepper | 25 | 1 (4.0) | Entamoeba spp. (1) | |||
| Cayenne pepper | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Radish | 24 | 0 | ||||
| Beet | 19 | 1 (5.3) | Entamoeba spp. (1) | |||
| Watercress | 23 | 1 (4.3) | Entamoeba spp. (1) | |||
| Lettuce | 11 | 2 (18.2) | Entamoeba spp. (2) | |||
| Green onion | 36 | 4 (11.1) | Entamoeba spp. (4) | |||
| Carrot | 50 | 3 (6.0) | Entamoeba spp. (3) | |||
| Total | 5647 | 199 (3.5) |
aSingle sample in a case report