The mean of parasite score density in the contaminated samples ranged between (2.22) and (0). The highest score of parasite density was that of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts (2.22). It was detected in contaminated rocket samples. How- ever, the least score of parasite density was that of H. nana eggs (0) in parsley, leek and green onion samples. The least score was also detected in green onion samples with Giardia spp. cysts (0) (Table 1). The highest rate of parasitic contami- nation in vegetable samples in different seasons was found in spring (49.3%), followed by summer (48%). There was no sig- nificant difference between the number of contaminated sam- ples in these two seasons. Lesser contamination rates were found in autumn (20%) and in winter (9.3%). There was also no significant difference between these two seasons. Compar- ing the rate of parasitic contamination in the four seasons, it was found that the number of contaminated samples in spring was significantly higher than the number of contaminated sam- ples in winter and autumn. Also the number of contaminated samples in summer was significantly higher when compared to the number of contaminated samples in winter and autumn
(x2 = 42.069; p < 0.001). The highest rate of contamination
in spring was found in lettuce samples (73.3%) while the lowest contamination in the same season was in leek (20%). In winter, the number of contaminated samples was equal in rocket, parsley and leek (13.3%). One sample only was contaminated in lettuce (6.6%) however no parasite was detected in green onion samples during this season (0%) (Table 2).