Water Quality Research Laboratory, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 69 Ben Zvi Road, Tel Aviv-Jaffa 6810416, Israel.
J Food Prot. 2022 Dec 1;85(12):1737-1744. doi: 10.4315/JFP-22-152.
Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is increasing thanks to a greater awareness of the human health benefits. Vegetables may become contaminated by enteric pathogens (protozoan parasites, bacteria, and viruses) by irrigation with contaminated water, fertilization with fresh animal manure, or by infected food handlers. Cryptosporidium spp. are fecal-oral protozoan parasites, known to be highly persistent in the environment. Efficient methods were developed for releasing and concentrating Cryptosporidium oocysts from leafy vegetables, and sensitive and specific methods were applied for detection. The aims of this review are to discuss the development and optimization of methods applied to elute, concentrate, and detect oocysts from leafy vegetables, to review the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts on fresh leafy vegetables from various parts of the world, and to discuss cryptosporidiosis outbreaks resulting from the consumption of leafy vegetables. Three solutions were used with comparable efficiency to release oocysts from leafy vegetables: 1 M glycine solution; 0.1% Alconox; and filter elution buffer, with an efficiency of 36.2, 72.6, and 44%, respectively. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was reported in developed, as well as from developing countries, although simple detection methods were applied. Most of the cryptosporidiosis outbreaks were reported in developed countries, which can be related to the efficient surveillance system. Transmission of infectious pathogens, such as Cryptosporidium, may be facilitated by fresh vegetables, which are imported and transferred from less developed to highly developed countries and consumed uncooked. Monitoring of Cryptosporidium oocysts by sensitive detection methods may enhance measures to prevent transmission by freshly consumed vegetables.
由于人们越来越意识到食用新鲜水果和蔬菜对人体健康的好处，因此对其的消费需求也在不断增加。蔬菜可能会通过受污染的水灌溉、新鲜动物粪便施肥或受感染的食品处理人员接触而受到肠道病原体（原生动物寄生虫、细菌和病毒）的污染。隐孢子虫是粪口传播的原生动物寄生虫，已知在环境中具有高度持久性。已经开发出有效的方法从叶类蔬菜中释放和浓缩隐孢子虫卵囊，并应用了敏感和特异的方法进行检测。本文综述的目的是讨论应用于洗脱、浓缩和检测叶类蔬菜中卵囊的方法的开发和优化，回顾来自世界不同地区的新鲜叶类蔬菜中隐孢子虫卵囊的流行情况，并讨论因食用叶类蔬菜而引发的隐孢子虫病疫情。三种溶液在从叶类蔬菜中释放卵囊方面具有相当的效率：1 M 甘氨酸溶液、0.1% Alconox 和过滤洗脱缓冲液，效率分别为 36.2%、72.6%和 44%。在发达国家和发展中国家都报告了隐孢子虫卵囊的流行情况，尽管应用了简单的检测方法。大多数隐孢子虫病疫情都发生在发达国家，这可能与有效的监测系统有关。传染性病原体（如隐孢子虫）的传播可能会通过新鲜蔬菜而得到促进，这些蔬菜从欠发达国家进口并转移到发达国家，并被生食。通过敏感的检测方法监测隐孢子虫卵囊可能会增强通过新鲜食用蔬菜来预防传播的措施。
