Parasitic Contamination of Fresh Vegetables Marketed and Cultivated in Small-Scale Farms in Hosanna Town and Its Surrounding Areas, Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia.

Fresh vegetables are important components of a healthy diet but may serve as vehicles for transmission of intestinal parasites when contaminated during production, harvesting, transport, and marketing. This study assessed the prevalence and distribution of parasitic contamination in fresh vegetables cultivated on small-scale farms and marketed through wholesale and retail outlets in Hosanna town and surrounding areas. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2024 to June 2025 on 492 vegetable samples, including Ethiopian kale, Swiss chard, carrot, tomato, cabbage, and beetroot, collected from small-scale farms (n = 96), wholesale markets (n = 216), and retail markets (n = 180). Samples were washed with physiological saline and microscopically inspected for intestinal parasite infectious stages. The study revealed that parasitic contamination increased significantly along the farm (preharvest)-to-market (postharvest) chain (p < 0.05), with 35.42% of preharvest farm samples, 46.30% of wholesale, and 72.78% of retail market (postharvest) samples testing positive. Among farm (preharvest) samples, Ethiopian kale (54.16%) and beetroot (41.66%) had the highest contamination rates, predominantly with Strongyloides stercoralis (33.33%) and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (16.67%). In wholesale markets (postharvest), carrot showed the highest contamination (69.44%), whereas E. histolytica/dispar was the most frequently detected parasite (30.56%). Retail markets (postharvest) exhibited the greatest contamination burden, particularly tomatoes and cabbages from Arada and Gofer Meda markets, where E. histolytica/dispar reached 50.00%. Leafy and root vegetables, especially Ethiopian kale and carrots, were the most contaminated with parasites. Fresh vegetables grown and sold in the study area were commonly contaminated with intestinal parasites, with retail vegetables showing the highest contamination rates. Enhanced hygiene practices during production, handling, and marketing, alongside targeted public health interventions, are crucial to reducing foodborne parasitic infections in the community.