Occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in sewage effluents and correlation with microbial, chemical and physical water variables.
Contaminated water are recognized as a potential source of Cryptosporidium oocysts. In Italy studies on the environmental spread of the parasite are still scarce even if a high frequency of serological responses could suggest high rates of endemic Cryptosporidium infections. In this investigation the occurrence of the parasite in water samples from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was monitored with the aim to evaluate possible correlation between oocysts and bacterial indicators, pathogens and physico-chemical parameters using a multivariate analysis. Data collected showed high numbers of oocysts, with a high percentage of positive samples and a significant correlation with pH, redox potential and total organic carbon. No correlation was found between Cryptosporidium concentration and that of the other microrganisms. The results, through a probing statistical analysis, show that none of the selected microrganisms was a reliable predictor of the presence of the parasite.
Bonadonna
Lucia
L
Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Laboratorio di Igiene Ambientale, Roma, Italy. lucybond@iss.it
Briancesco
Rossella
R
Ottaviani
Massimo
M
Veschetti
Enrico
E
D000818:Animals; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005243:Feces; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012722:Sewage / Q000469:parasitology*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D012722:Sewage; D014873:Water Pollutants