Cryptosporidium oocysts: are they still a risk for human population? A case study in Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Pignata ◽  
S i Bonetta ◽  
S a Bonetta ◽  
S M Cacciò ◽  
A R Sannella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Cryptosporidium Oocysts

Abstract Over the past decade, several outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have been reported in many EU countries in association with the consumption of contaminated drinking water, recreational waters, food consumption and contact with animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in a rural area of northern Italy. Influent and effluent samples at the DWTP, together with tap water samples from a public fountain were collected for three years (2013-2016). All samples were analysed for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by the EPA Method 1623 based on immunomagnetic separation (IMS)/immunofluorescence assay (IFA), complemented by 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. The detection has been implemented with a reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) protocol to evaluate the oocyst viability. The results highlighted a high variability of oocyst concentrations in all samples (mean 4.3 - 5.8/100 L) and a high percentage variability of the DAPI-positive specimens (mean 48.2% - 40.3%). Conversely, RT-PCR did not reveal the presence of any viable C. parvum and C. hominis oocysts. A nested PCR targeting Cryptosporidium 18S ribosomal DNA was carried out in two water samples to deepen the understanding of the obtained results. This test revealed the presence of a particular Cryptosporidium genotype associated with wild animals in the river and in tap water. Although the recovered Cryptosporidium genotype is not a human pathogen, its presence demonstrates the existence of a potential pathogen Cryptosporidium spp. contamination risk. Moreover, these results underline the importance of considering unconventional (not bacterial) biological contaminations (protozoa) in water resources in rural areas, including those of developed countries. Key messages The supply source and the drinking water treatment plant examined represent a classic example of a system that requires continuous monitoring to guarantee population health. Cryptosporidium oocysts may still be a Public Health problem even in industrialized countries, especially in rural and mountain areas.

scholarly journals Cryptosporidium Oocyst Contamination in Drinking Water: A Case Study in Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 2055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Pignata ◽  
Silvia Bonetta ◽  
Sara Bonetta ◽  
Simone M. Cacciò ◽  
Anna R. Sannella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Cryptosporidium Oocyst ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Cryptosporidium Spp ◽  
Pcr Targeting

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in a rural area of northern Italy. Influent and effluent samples were collected at the DWTP over three years (2013–2016). In parallel, tap water samples from a public drinking fountain were collected as well. All samples were analyzed for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by a common method based on an immunomagnetic separation (IMS)/immunofluorescence assay (IFA), complemented by 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. A reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) protocol was added to evaluate oocyst viability. The results highlighted a high variability of oocyst concentrations across all samples (mean 4.3 ± 5.8/100 L) and a high variability in the percentage of DAPI-positive specimens (mean 48.2% ± 40.3%). Conversely, RT-PCR did not reveal the presence of viable C. parvum and C. hominis oocysts. A nested PCR targeting Cryptosporidium 18S ribosomal DNA, carried out in two water samples, confirmed the presence of a Cryptosporidium genotype associated with wild animals in the river and in tap water. The results obtained underline the vulnerability of the investigated surface water to Cryptosporidium spp. contamination. Although the recovered Cryptosporidium genotype is not a human pathogen, its presence demonstrates the existence of a potential pathogen Cryptosporidium spp. contamination risk. Moreover, these results underline the importance of also considering unconventional (not bacterial) biological contaminations (protozoa) in water resources in rural areas, including those of developed countries.

scholarly journals Efficiency of Traditional Water Treatment Plant and Compact Units in Removing Viruses

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-536
Author(s):  
Yehia A. Osman ◽  
Waled M. El-Senousy ◽  
Adel A. El-Morsi ◽  
Mohammed K. Rashed
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Fecal Bacteria ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Drinking Waters ◽  
Pollution Indicator ◽  
Drinking Water Samples

The fecal bacteria have been taken as the gold standard for water industry. However, the spread of viral gastroenteritis due to drinking water have given a momentum to a recent push by microbiologists to consider viruses as important pollution indicator as fecal bacteria. Therefore, we designed a study to evaluate the efficiency of two types of water purification systems: the traditional water treatment plant and two types compact units. Both systems produced drinking waters free of bacteria, chemical contaminants and mostly viruses free.  However, recent advances in molecular biology techniques, such as RT-PCR have detected Rotaviruses in chlorinated drinking waters resulted from all systems. The frequency of Rotaviruses since October 2010 till September 2012 in Shark El-Mansoura WTP in drinking water samples was 12.5% similar to raw water. While the compact unit at Depo Awam (American design) the frequency of Rotavirus was 16.6% in both raw and drinking water samples.  On the other hand the virus frequency in the raw and drinking water sample in El-Danabik unit (Egyptian design) were 12.5% and 4.16% respectively. Signifying failure of the chlorination process in removing viruses completely.  However, detection of Rotavirus genome in the drinking water samples does not means the presence of its infectivity. The infectious ability of the rotaviruses was confirmed by CC-RT-PCR in all positive samples, where viral RNA was not detected in the collected drinking water samples.  In conclusion RT-PCR and CC-RT-PCR techniques high lightened the need to include viruses as mandatory pollution indicator in water treatment plants. Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 3(3): 528-536

Elimination of Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, turbidity and particles in a drinking water treatment plant with clarification and double filtration

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 203-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Ribas ◽  
A. Bernal ◽  
J. Perramón
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Cryptosporidium Oocysts ◽  
Basic Parameters ◽  
Double Filtration ◽  
Giardia Cysts

The basic parameters of turbidity and counts of particles, Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts are monitored in their evolution through a drinking water treatment plant. Sulphite- reducing clostridia spores and groups of bacteriophages are also monitored in relation to their potential use as indicators.

Experiences with the practical implementation and operation of biological nitrification for a small-scale drinking water treatment plant

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 922-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Richard ◽  
E. Mayr ◽  
M. Zunabovic ◽  
R. Allabashi ◽  
R. Perfler
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Supply ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Treatment Performance ◽  
Biological Nitrification

The implementation and evaluation of biological nitrification as a possible treatment option for the small-scale drinking water supply of a rural Upper Austrian community was investigated. The drinking water supply of this community (average system input volume: 20 m3/d) is based on the use of deep anaerobic groundwater with a high ammonium content of geogenic origin (up to 5 mg/l) which must be treated to prevent the formation of nitrites in the drinking water supply system. This paper describes the implementation and operation of biological nitrification despite several constraints including space availability, location and financial and manpower resources. A pilot drinking water treatment plant, including biological nitrification implemented in sand filters, was designed and constructed for a maximum treatment capacity of 1.2 m3/h. Online monitoring of selected physicochemical parameters has provided continuous treatment performance data. Treatment performance of the plant was evaluated under standard operation as well as in the case of selected malfunction events.

scholarly journals Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide by Reusing Drinking Water Treatment Plant Sludge

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 2665-2670
Author(s):  
Soleha Mohamat Yusuff ◽  
K.K. Ong ◽  
W.M.Z. Wan Yunus ◽  
A. Fitrianto ◽  
M. Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment Plant ◽  
Water Treatment Plant Sludge
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