Prevalence and distribution of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in wastewater and the surface, drinking and ground waters in the Lower Rhine, Germany - PubMed (original) (raw)

Prevalence and distribution of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in wastewater and the surface, drinking and ground waters in the Lower Rhine, Germany

C Gallas-Lindemann et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Samples from different water sources (n = 396) were collected during 2009 and 2011. Wastewater (2-5 l) was purified by aluminium sulphate flocculation. Surface, ground and drinking waters (400-6400 l) were collected by filtration. Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were further concentrated by sucrose centrifugation. (Oo)cysts were identified by IFT (immunofluorescence test), DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining and DICM (difference interference contrast microscopy). Out of 206 wastewater samples, 134 (65·0%) were found to be positive for Giardia cysts and 64 (31·1%) for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Parasite numbers ranged from 0 to 2436 cysts/l and 0 to 1745 oocysts/l. Eight (4·2%) surface and drinking water samples (n = 190) were found to be positive for Giardia cysts (0-56000/100 l), and 18 (9·5%) for Cryptosporidium oocysts (2400/100 l). The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence and concentrations of Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium spp. by detecting (oo)cysts from water samples. This study provides substantial evidence that G. lamblia cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts are able to enter and circulate in the aquatic environment with negative implications for public health.

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Figures

Fig. 1.

[_colour online_]. Study area: (a) North Rhine-Westphalia in the western part of Germany and (b) Lower Rhine area in expanded view. (c) Position of the eight municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), recreational area, and catchment area of drinking water supply (ArcGIS 9, ArcMap version 9.3.1, ESRI, Germany).

Fig. 2.

Numbers of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts from the influent samples of the wastewater treatment plant, data for precipitation and temperature during October 2009 and September 2010.

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Prevalence and distribution of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in wastewater and the surface, drinking and ground waters in the Lower Rhine, Germany - PubMed (original) (raw)