determination of the level of parasitic infection (cryptosporidium and giardia) of the vegetables marketed in ilam city

Background: infected with intestinal parasites is one of the most important health and economical problems, which could have different effects, such as diarrheal diseases or death associated. the purpose of this study was to determine the level of prevalence of cryptosporidium and giardia parasites in the vegetable marketed in ilam city. methods: this study was performed on 280 sles of fresh vegetables and lettuce in ilam. the sles were taken at the level of 500 grams from the places where vegetables and lettuce are sold. micro liters of each sle was placed on the slide using automatic micropipette, and logel and zylnelson stainings were performed in order to identify cryptosporidium and giardia. results: from 200 sles, 54 sles were contaminated to cryptosporidium oocyte and 13 sles to giardia cysts. from 80 lettuce sles also 32 sles were contaminated to cryptosporidium oocyte, and 6 sles contaminated to giardia cysts. the results showed that the overall infection was 37%. infection with giardia cysts was 6.8% and infection with cryptosporidium oocyte was 30.7%, and cryptosporidium infection rates in vegetables and lettuce were different. this difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). conclusion: as a result of this research it is determined that the prevalence of giardia and cryptosporidium in ilam vegetables is significantly higher, and the contamination of lettuce is far greater. therefore, authorities should be more attentive to the field of education and the control of parasitic diseases.