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COMPARING METHODS FOR ESTIMATING {ITAL CRYPTOSPORIDIUM} SPP. OOCYST CONCENTRATIONS IN WATER
Citation:
Lindquist, H.D A., J W. Bennett, M W. Ware, R E. Stetler, AND F W. Schaefer III. COMPARING METHODS FOR ESTIMATING {ITAL CRYPTOSPORIDIUM} SPP. OOCYST CONCENTRATIONS IN WATER. Presented at Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists, Albuquerque, NM, June 29-July 3, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
1) Refine new molecular and antibody labeling method for the detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water.
2) Determine the occurrence and distribution of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water supplies
Description:
{ital Cryptosporidium parvum} in drinking water is a threat to public health. Estimating the parasite burden of {ital C. parvum} in water to be treated for use as drinking water constitutes an integral element to developing strategies for protecting public health in a cost effective manner. These estimations must be made using methods that are as unbiased toward under reporting and have high visability. The high levels of bias and variability call into question the way in which methods are tested, and not just the methods themselves. To overcome this criticism, a set of criteria for evaluating detection methods were developed. The critical parameters in methods evaluation were determined to be the sample matrix, and the precisoin and accuracy of the enumeration of organisms seeded into this sample. A series of comparisons were made that indicate that flow cytometry is superior to other methods for seeding oocysts into samples. Flow cytometrically enumerated organisms, spiked into reagent and experimental sample water were detected and counted by four methods. Recovery ranged from 11.5 to 48.6 with highest recovery being obtained using a solid phase cytometry method.